Family Trip
by Lunar InuYasha
Summary: Kagome and her family have been planning this trip for months...and she finally got InuYasha to agree to go, between the car rides, the tours and the extended family Kagome stumbles onto somthing she never expected...InuYasha's past...InuKag CH18UP finaly
1. Preparations

Ok, disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.

This is my first fanfiction ever and I want to know how I did, so please take you time, read and enjoy. Please review though, by the way constructive criticism is appreciated as much as praise…but please review, the feedback is very appreciated and necessary for future stories. Thank you.

Chapter 1:

Preparations

Kagome yawned as the group walked out of the woods and towards the edge of the small village were Keade lived. She smiled as she watched the sun came up over the hills and shed light on the small, silent, sleeping, village. As the group walked towards Kaede's hut InuYasha whined, "Why are we going back to the village AGAIN?"

"Because I need to go see my family, it's for something important." Kagome responded.

"More important than collecting jewel shards?" InuYasha smirked.

Kagome smiled not taking his bait, "To me it is." It was relatively quite for the rest of the walk to Keade's hut except for the constant under his breath muttering of InuYasha. Once they reached Keade's hut the whole village was now moving since the sun was now up. Kagome then spoke up "Ok guys, I'm gonna go now, I'll be back in a few hours."

InuYasha just "feh'd" as Shippo jumped onto Kagome's shoulder and cried into her school shirt, "Why are you leaving us Kagome?"

"Its ok Shippo I'll only be gone for a few hours I promise." Kagome cooed as she patted Shippo's head.

"But you left a few days ago why are you leaving so soon? Do you not want to be around us?" Shippo cried.

"No, Shippo I love to be around you, but I need to go home for a few hours, ok." Kagome said to reassure Shippo as she placed him on Sango's shoulder and gave Sango a quick hug before she set out to the well. Then she remembered something and yelled behind her "Hey InuYasha be here when I get back I want to ask you something!" everyone turned to look at InuYasha but he just "feh'd" and walked into the woods as the rest of the group (what was left of it anyway) rolled their eyes and walked into Keade's hut.

* * *

Kagome ran into the clearing were the Bone Eaters Well was and jumped in, she felt herself overcome with the familiar sensation of weightlessness as blue haze fell around her. She stepped onto the solid bottom of the well in her era and clamored out of the well, run across the yard and slides the back door open to announce that she was home, "Hey Mom, Sota, Grandpa I'm home!"

Her mom had heard Kagome come in the back door, she then ran to greet her daughter and see if she was ready to go. Once she had given Kagome a hug she asked, "So are you ready to go? Are the others ready?"

Kagome smiled as she answered "Yes of coarse, is their any reason not to be? I can't wait! But I was wondering since over 3 weeks is a long time to a certain irritable hanyou, is there any chance that I could bring him with us?"

"Ahhhhhh" came her mother's mock pondering reply.

"Come on it will be fun and I'll teach him how to be somewhat polite so that Mummu doesn't think that he is some barbarian…and yea it will be fun to drag him around and see the clueless look on his face when we tell him about something…"

Her mother smiled and replied "I was going to say yes anyway, I was thinking the same thing though…do you want to bring any more of your friends with you?"

Kagome pondered this before, she could bring Shippo but InuYasha and shippo argue too much and all of them trapped in a small vehicle for hours and hours would not be very tolerable if she brought him, her head just hurt thinking about it. Then again she could bring Sango and/or Miroku, but after she thought about it she decided against it as well. Miroku…she didn't even want to think about what the monk would do some modern girls. Sango would be behaved but that was another one she had to keep an eye on and InuYasha would be enough, "No, bringing anyone else would spoil the fun…"she smiled just thinking about the stuff she was going to put InuYasha though.

Her mother broke the lengthening silence by telling her to start packing since she would get behind if she put it off much longer. Kagome ran up to her room and started to pick out some things that she would like to bring with her on her trip.

* * *

Meanwhile InuYasha sat in the God Tree thinking when his mind wandered back to a few months ago

It was right after they had defeated a particularly strong demon that promised to kill Kagome even after he had died, and it was also the first snow of the winter in the feudal era and they had enjoyed it at first, but it was extremely cold out that night and the fire they made did little to warm them in the middle of the night. Kagome had a hard time falling asleep that night, but after a few hours of tossing and turning she finally managed to drift into sleep. InuYasha wouldn't go to sleep because he had sworn himself that he would watch over Kagome to make sure nothing happened her even (even though he didn't REALLY believe the demon.) Although Kagome was asleep she was not getting much rest, she was shivering and tossed and rolled and whined from the cold. At first InuYasha ignored her but he was starting to worry about her (although he won't ever admit it) So when she shiver once again InuYasha jumped down from his perch in the tree, walked over to kagome, took his outer kimono off and wrapped it around her.

Kagome stopped shivering for a moment but as InuYasha was about to go back to his perch but she started to shiver again. He sighed, gently picked Kagome up and jumped back up to his perch. Once he sat down and got situated he placed Kagome on his lap. She shifted a bit and then snuggled up to InuYasha while still asleep, once she got comfortable she stopped moving and fell into a restful sleep.

With Kagome on his lap InuYasha felt as if he could protect her pretty well from her on his lap. So he fell asleep knowing his demon senses would pick up anything that was a threat.

Kagome woke up with her face against InuYasha's red kimono and she blinked in surprise, she almost yelled "sit" but she noticed that they were in a tree and she didn't feel like having to experience that, that early in the morning. She then was going to hit him on the head but when she moved she noticed how cold it was and snuggled back up against InuYasha. This woke InuYasha up and he blinked a few times before the last night came back to him. He looked down at Kagome to notice she was awake and he was extremely surprised that he hadn't gotten a good beating for her waking up in his lap.

Once she moved and noticed how cold it was she realized that InuYasha was trying to warm her up and so she didn't fuss, in fact she kind enjoyed it. And it turned out that not arguing and it being cold out for the net month had brought them together. So ever since then they had slept like that, and now even in the summer when there was no need for warmth they still continued to sleep with each other because they had just grown accustom to it. so they just slept like that not realizing what a compromising situation it could put them in.

There was a rustle in the bushes that brought him back to the present. A second later Shippo flew out of the bushes and onto the tree next to Inuyasha.

"Hey InuYasha what are you doing?" Shippo asked.

"Nothing" InuYasha responded gruffly.

"You have to be doing sooooomething." Shippo teased.

"Even if I was I wouldn't tell you!" InuYasha snapped.

"Fine you don't have to be so mean! I'm telling Kagome when she get back!" Shippo taunted.

All InuYasha said was "feh" before falling back into thought. Ignoring the bait Shippo had laid out so perfectly.

* * *

A few hours later Kagome remembered her promise to Shippo and yelled into the other room "hey mom, what time is it?"

There was a loud 'thud' in the room next to her and a muffled 3:30 was heard as Kagome made her way down the stairs yelling back "hey mom, I'm going to go get InuYasha and say bye to everyone else now!"

"OK honey, but hurry back, dinner is in a few hours."

"K mom, I'll be back" Kagome responded as she closed the back door, ran into the shrine and jumped into the well. Kagome landed on the other side and started to climb out.

InuYasha was still sitting in the God Tree when he heard Kagome scramble out of the well with his sensitive ears. He hoped from his perch and walked in that direction to catch up with her.

Kagome heard the bushes rustle behind her she smiled and turned around knowing the hanyou's presence. "Hey, InuYasha come on out, I wanna ask you something."

InuYasha did as he was told and came out and blinked "How did you know it was me?"

Kagome smiled and said, "I just did"

"Feh"

Kagome laughed. "Anyway InuYasha, I know this may be hard for you but I want you to listen to me for a minute and let me tell you something without you interrupting me till I'm done. "Kagome said with a stern look.

A concerned look passed over InuYasha's but when it turned to flat look she passed it as her eyes playing tricks on her and shot him a cold glare causing him to respond with an unhappy, "fine"

Kagome smiled, "OK" and started. "My family and I are going to go see my grandparents, Mummu and Papa, and since they live a little ways away we figured we would make a trip out of it," InuYasha eyed her suspiciously but Kagome ignored him and continued. "We have been planning this for months and recently we have been perfecting the details, that is why I have been going home so often. But since I will be away from home I wont be able to visit the warring states era while I'm on the trip…the trip is gonna be…uh 3-4 weeks." Kagome waited half a second and watched InuYasha's change from clueless to angry, but before he could yell at her Kagome was already screaming at him. "I'M NOT DONE YET!" her menacing tone shut him up quick and in a hurry. He glared at her but stayed silent. Then Kagome continued in the most sarcastic tone you have ever heard, "Since I know that you are sooo patient, and you can just wait here for 3 weeks with no problem," InuYasha looked as if he was going to blow up at that moment and he almost did and would have if Kagome hadn't finished her sentence at that moment. "Would you come with me?"

InuYasha just stood there with fury all over his face but within a second it softened 'did she really just ask me to go on a family trip for _3 weeks_? InuYasha just blinked for a second and then opened his mouth to talk but no sound came out…his mind was rushing!

'What did she really ask me or was I imagining things? No, but I could be, am I getting desperate? NO! Why am I even thinking that!…Why am I talking to myself?'

Before InuYasha could recover Kagome spoke again, "Please, please? I really want you to go!"

Now this surprised InuYasha he really didn't believe that she actually asked him in the first place and now she was _begging_ him to go. 'What! Is she ok? She _wants_ me to go on a trip with her and her weird, crazy family for 3 weeks without a break? Well this could work out…I mean…NO, NOOOOO I'm not even going to _start_ to think of something that would be in Miroku's mind! I would even start! Ewwwww!'

Seeing his blank expression Kagome got worried, 'What if he says no? What if he doesn't want to come? What if…' "Please Inuyasha it will be fun, we'll get to relax and… you will get a break from Shippo…" she quickly looked around to make sure nobody else heard that.

InuYasha looked at her and she giving him her big brown glossy puppy dog eyes (ironic since he is actually the dog )…he said "fine" without even realizing it.

Kagome jumped up and down then grabbed his wrist and started to drag him off to the village. It was then realization dawned on him, 'Crap, what have I gotten myself into?…maybe it wont be so bad I mean without Shippo constantly getting in my face and getting Kagome mad at me…this may just work. Wait a minute where is she going the well is the other way' InuYasha spoke up, "uh, Kagome, isn't the well the other way?"

"Yea and your point?" Kagome responded. InuYasha looked at her with a puzzled look and she just sighed, "You think I would be insensitive enough to leave without saying goodbye or telling them I would be gone?"

InuYasha glared at her, "Are you calling me insensitive?"

Kagome rolled her eyes at him, "No I'm just saying I thought you had a bit more sense than that InuYasha."

He groaned and said, "How do you plan to get rid of Shippo?

Kagome gave InuYasha a look and said, "I don't plan to 'get rid' of Shippo, I just am gonna say bye."

Now it was InuYasha's turn to roll his eyes "I don't think a pry bar could get him off of you when you tell him your going to go away for 3 weeks."

Kagome sighed, "Oh InuYasha, you don't have to be so mea-MIROKU, SONGO!" she yelled.

InuYasha flattened his ears against his head in protest of her yelling. She rolled her eyes at him again and ran off to greet her friends and to tell them the news. The minuet that Kagome get within 10 ft. of Songo, Shippo came flying out of nowhere and tackled her in the middle, yelling "KAGOME, your back! Yea! What took you so long?"

Kagome smiled, "Shippo, it was only a few hours."

"I know but I still don't like you going away…I bet InuYasha had something to do with it, that big jerk!" Shippo exclaimed.

InuYasha opened his mouth to protest but Kagome cut him off. "Shippo, InuYasha had nothing to do with it, I promise." Shippo glared at InuYasha but stayed silent as Kagome went on to tell them of her trip.

This brought up the curiosity of the group members. 'What! She's bringing InuYasha with her? Is she crazy? What's going on here?' Songo wonders. 'Soooo Kagome is bringing InuYasha on a _Family_ Trip (A/N: he is reading _way _to into this…for the time being that is), now I wonder what they are planning to do…maybe...whack "ow" whines Miroku as he turns to face Songo. " What was that for?" 'Oh did I say that out loud!' Miroku wonders. But Songo responds, "The look on your face Miroku."

InuYasha rolls his eyes at this and immediately goes back to listening to them talk…argue. Shippo then cries into Kagome's shirt, "WHY! Don't leave me here for sooooo long without you!"

InuYasha sighs and mutters under his breath, "so it begins."

"Shhhhhhh…Shippo its all right I'll come back I'm just going on a little vacation." Kagome coos.

"Then why dose stinky old InuYasha get to go!" Shippo retorts.

Kagome looks shippo in the eyes and says, " don't worry I'll be back in 3 weeks, I promise and if your good I'll even pick you up a present…but only if your good. Ok Shippo?"

Shippo's eyes lit up at the thought of a present, and he nodded in submission. Kagome gave a sigh of relief, and added, "that means helping and listening to Songo and Miro-listening and helping Songo, got it?" She whispers while she patting him on the head. Shippo smiles and nods again as Kagome walks over to hug Songo.

While she embraces her friend she whispers in her ear, "This is to give you a break from InuYasha for awhile and to give InuYasha a break from shippo, he kind of needs it…" then she laughed at the thought of shippo taunting InuYasha and him ending up with his face in the ground from her saying the 'word'.

She waves one last goodbye to her friend as InuYasha turns and starts to walk towards the well. Kagome starts to run after InuYasha, but before she disappears into the woods she turns around and yells, "Don't do anything exciting while I'm gone, ok!" and then runs into the trees after InuYasha.

After the village is out of sight, Kagome runs up next to InuYasha and elbows him in the ribs. InuYasha glares at her and snaps, "why did you do that wench?"

Kagome smiles and says, "Because it isn't THAT bad, and your just grumpy."

"And you're not helping" InuYasha growls in response.

"Well it's only for a few weeks so its not that long." Kagome chimes.

"Only?" InuYasha retorted.

"Hey it's a few weeks without Shippo, or any demons, it's just gonna be fun and relaxing!" Kagome squeaked.

InuYasha rolled his eyes as he picked Kagome up and hoped into the well. A familiar weightless feeling came as a blue haze appeared around them and then drifted away as they were left on Kagome's side of the well.

* * *

AUTHORS NOTE: Ok so how did I do? Was it ok? I mean for my first fanfic ever…but, So what will happen when InuYasha gets to the other side of the well? What dose Kagome _really _have in store for InuYasha? How will InuYasha manage in the modern world? And where is Kagome going each day so early in the morning?…its summer your supposed to sleep in…. please review! PLEASE, REVIEW! 


	2. Dinner

Disclaimer: i dont own Inuyasha...

Well I'm sorry about the late update but I have been busy and I am kind of banned from the computer right now so the only time I can get on is late on weekends and the computer just kind of broke for about a day and a half so I lost precious typing time. So sorry about the wait but here it is (but first a few A/N)  
  
**Morgan**: Thank you for my first review and done worry I will but you'll have to wait a bit before it ends...  
  
**Madam Hisui**: Well thank you very much and yea I go heavy on the detail and it will get even more so in the next few chapters, and yes I worked very hard to get the characters correct or as close to the original characters as possible so thank you. Yes I have written the next chapter...see below but yes I hope you like what I decided to have InuYasha and Kagome do on their first evening in Kagome's time...  
  
**Amy**: Thank you VERY much...I hope you enjoy it  
  
Hillary/Sesshomarusqueen: THANK YOU very much for doing that I appreciate it a lot!! And I will try as hard as I can to update as quickly as I can.  
  
**Kagome**: thank you and yea finally ok well mi was arguing with a friend and she said it was with and "o" and I said it was with an "a" but I had some doubts about it so I just let her win but I will fix that (eventually) and write it like that from now on. Thanks again and did I spell Sota right? Or is it Souta? (I argued about that one too)  
  
**Lily**: K I will try to write more...(right now I cant stop writing I'm addicted to it) and yea my first fanfic but hopefully not the last...  
  
**Luci**: I will I will don't worry it may take awhile to update but I will still write and yea I hooked someone!! Yea, thank you!!!  
  
**Katsurinia**: thank you, yea, that was the hardest part thinking of a story to write about but I finally thought of one and I went with it and now I'm totally into it!! Yea the personalities I purposely did as much as I could...it was difficult at some times to keep to it but I tried my best and most of it I just did out of force of habit, I have been watching the episodes so I try to take the personality and put it into my stories...and don't worry you'll know what happens soon enough.  
  
**Rhia**: thank you and here it is read on...  
  
**Moonlit Day**: I do feel lucky, thank you soo much!!! Yea thanks I tried really hard to keep them I'm character as best as I could...and I mean as best as I could I watched a few episodes and then I just went from other occurrences I remember and what I want InuYasha and Kagome to "bend" towards in the story. Thanks you again and here it is the second chapter!! Enjoy!!  
  
**X-With Stars**: oh don't worry I wont KILL him...hehe, jk, I wont do anything to bad but If it all went perfect the story would be boring so I hope you enjoy what I decide to do.  
  
**RingWriath14**: ok, ok, I fixed the bumps and now the flashback paragraph is more organized (it is now numerous paragraphs) and some sentences are better worded. Thank you and don't worry I will...  
  
**Writer of Light**: thanks  
  
**Ryguy5387**: hehe sorry yea that is my major down point so I may have a few more of those along he way...grammar and spelling aren't my best areas but my detail and all is better...I love to right. And so here is chapter 2!!  
  
**CloackedChaos**: thank you yea my first...but defiantly not my last, yea it's gonna be funny and now you don't have to wait here is chapter 2!!!  
  
**XIcEyxToMbOyx**: ok Michelle, miss jibberish... I could read it but I doubt that anyone else could...the only reason that I could is that I know you and I talk to you every day. But yea thanks, yes "Songo" is Sango, but yea ha I am not supposed to be on but I am anyway my mom can't stop me while she is sleeping. hehe in as bad as you... I do write a lot I have it written it is just typing it up that slows me way down...but yea ill make you wait...hehe jk whenever I finish typing ill have it up k? Get on soon so you can read!!!Later  
  
Ok enough chat, onto the story!!! Enjoy!!!  
  
**Chapter 2 Dinner Time!!  
**  
InuYasha jumps out of the well and the second his feet touch the ground Kagome jumps out of his arms, grabs his wrist and runs across the yard dragging him to the back door. He blinked in surprise as Kagome took control and was now pulling him across the shrine where she lived. She pulled the back door open and yanked InuYasha inside then quickly shut the door behind her. While telling her mom that she was now home, "hey mom I'm back!"  
  
Her mother had heard them come in and was almost to the back door when she heard Kagome yell. She then came around the corner and smiled as she saw InuYasha, "why hello InuYahsa I'm glad that you could make it and come with us.  
  
InuYasha looked at her and then just Feh'd as usual. Kagome rolled her eyes and then elbowed InuYasha in the ribs again, which were still a bit sore from when Kagome had elbowed him just a few moments ago. While saying "oh loosen up a bit InuYasha this is going to be fun!" InuYasha just gave her a look and then turned to look at Kagome's mom who had just stared speaking.  
  
"Hey, you two would you like to help me make some dinner? I was just about to start it when you came in." Kagome's mother asked.  
  
Before InuYasha could say anything Kagome piped up, "sure we'd love to!!"  
  
Her mom then said "oh good, could you and InuYasha start he fried rice for me and ill start he fish." also before InuYasha could interrupt to say he didn't want to help.  
  
He never did get his chance, at that moment Kagome handed him a strangely marked glass container and said, "Ok InuYasha, I want you to fill this with 4 cups of water and then get the minced vegetables out of the refrigerator, okay?"  
  
InuYasha just stood there and blinked trying to absorb and make sense of everything that Kagome had just said to him. Kagome had her head in the pantry and was muttering something about where the rice was. InuYasha sighed and was about to say something when Kagome stood up again and looked at InuYasha, "what are you doing? Go get the water."  
  
At first InuYasha just stared at her but then he said, "Kagome what is "4 cups" and what is this thing you gave me?"  
  
It was now Kagome's turn to blink in surprise this time and then it hit her...'duh!! InuYasha doesn't know what a cup is and he defiantly doesn't know what a measuring cup is of how to use it...sorry InuYasha' "oh sorry InuYasha I forgot that you don't know about the modern era at all." InuYasha jut rolled his eyes and Kagome smiled she deserved that one. "Ok InuYasha" Kagome starts to explain, "this is a measuring cup" she places her hand on the top of the cup. "It measures how much of a liquid you have, see the red lines on the sides? Well those are measurements this is one cup" she said pointing to the line that has a one next to it on the cup scale. "And since we need 4 cups we need to go up higher to get to the 4 cups that we need ok?" InuYasha nods as he takes in what Kagome is trying to explain to him, then she continues "do you know were the 4 cup mark line is?" InuYasha thinks, using what Kagome had just told him and a little common sense he point to the 4-cup line. "Yea, you go it right InuYasha." Kagome praises him. "Now to properly measure you full the water up to were you think 4 cups is based on the line and then place it on the counter and wait for the water to get almost exactly calm and measure if it is not a 4 cups then add of get rid of water till you have 4 cups...it doesn't have to be exactly perfect but it has to be pretty close, ok?"  
  
InuYasha nods to show he understands and then walks over to the sink were Kagome had told him to get the water from. Kagome's mother was currently working in the sink but smiles as she sees him walking over. InuYasha starts, "Kagome sent me over here to get water and asked me to get it while she get the rice out of the pantry-"  
  
Kagome's mother smiled again and said, "I know dear, now come over here so I can show you how the sink works."  
  
Kagome's mother had been watching Kagome and InuYasha the whole time and thought 'how sweet, she had mentioned something about him being "nicer" to her...ha Kagome you...' she let out a soft sight and smiled. 'So they are finally starting to get a bit friendlier to each other."  
  
"Oh, dear" Kagome's mother said to InuYasha "this is what turns the water on and off as well as adjusts the temperature" she then gestures to the handle that came out of the top of the sink next the faucet. "You pull it up to get turn water on and push it down to turn it off, then if you rotate it to the right a little bit it heats the water up and if you rotate it to the left the water get cold. You have it dear?" InuYasha nods to show he understands as he fills up the measuring cup with cold water and Kagome's mother then goes back to work on the fish but not before tweaking one of InuYasha's ears. InuYasha groans but puts up with it.  
  
He turns back to were Kagome is standing and places the water on the counter opposite from were Kagome is still struggling to pull the abnormally large bag of rice out of the pantry. InuYasha laughs and leans over and pulls the bag out with no problem leaving Kagome sitting on the floor panting. InuYasha places the bag of rice down next to Kagome and Kagome gives him an evil glare but then says "Thank you InuYasha" as InuYahsa helps her to her feet.  
  
"Ok, we now need to pour enough of this rice into the pan over there to fill the bottom of it." She looked at InuYasha and then at the bag. "Hey InuYasha would you lend me a hand and carry the bag of rice over to the pan and pour it for me..It's a little bit heavy." InuYasha smirked and said "yea sure."  
  
Kagome grabbed the stick of butter that was sitting on the counter and unwrapped it as InuYasha carried the bag of rice over to the frying pan. "Ok InuYahsa pour it nice and slow so I can tell you when that is enough." InuYasha nodded to show he understood and then start the pour the rice into the pan and when he had about the pan half full with a small pile in the middle Kagome told him to stop. He did so and she flattened the pile of rice out a little bit and then said, "This is perfect InuYasha you did a good job." She then dropped the butter into the pan and helped InuYasha put the rice away. On her way back to the frying pan she reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a small Ziploc bag of cut vegetables and put them in the pan as well. With InuYasha watching intently Kagome tuned on the burner under the frying pan and the pot with the 4 cups of water that InuYasha had measured earlier, Then started to fry the rice and vegetables until the rice was golden brown, once at that point Kagome took the rice and poured it into the now boiling water keeping the vegetables behind to cook some more.  
  
Kagome was explaining everything that she did to InuYasha so that he would understand...the only thing he knew from the modern era was how to add hot water to instant Raman. She laughed at this thought and InuYasha took a break from his thinking to look up at her and growls since he didn't want to be disturbed while he was thinking so hard, "what now wench?"  
  
Kagome just laughed and then said, "That is another thing we have to work on, your vocabulary...I don't want grandma to think your from the Stone Age" InuYasha glared at her and Kagome realized what she had said, "oh sorry InuYasha I didn't mean it like that its just that grandma wont be able to tell the difference between the stone age and the feudal era."  
  
InuYasha feh'd just as the buzzer went off and Kagome yelled, "Rice is done mama!" Then her mother came into the room and said yes the fish is done too, now will you to be good and go get Sota while I finish cooking the rice with the fish?"  
  
Kagome responded first, "k mom ill go get him, is he up in his room?"  
  
"Yes Kagome" her mother retorted.  
  
Kagome then walked out of the room with InuYasha following her and up the stairs and then walked to just outside Sota's. Kagome stepped up to the door and knocked softly, "Hey Sota dinner is ready, and mom wants you to come eat with us."  
  
"Ok Kagome, tell mom ill be down in a minute, I'm in the middle of a math problem." came Sota's reply from within his room.  
  
"K, I will Sota" and with that Kagome started to walk back down the stairs with a now boarded hanyou following behind her.  
  
Kagome and InuYasha both helped set out the silverware and the food, and as they were all about to sit down Sota walked in and looked around the kitchen, then saw InuYasha, "InuYasha! Awesome you finally brought InuYasha home with you sis!"  
  
"Yea Sota I brought InuYasha with me," she smiled smartly "how else would he be able to go on our trip with us?"  
  
Sota's jaw dropped "he's coming with us?!" Kagome nodded. "WOW, awesome!!! Yes!!" Sota then turned to look at InuYasha, "great, it is going to be so fun hanging out with you InuYasha!"  
  
InuYasha just sighed and rolled his eyes up into his head, "that's great kid"  
  
Sota was slightly discouraged by InuYasha calling him kid but he just smiled and said, "my name is Sota you know"  
  
InuYasha ignored him and said "yea whatever" as he walked over to stand next to Kagome.  
  
Kagome smiled and said "yea and I had InuYasha cook dinner, what do you think of that Sota?"  
  
Sota's eyes widened in surprise, "You cooked? Wow I bet it tastes great!" he responded as his face broke out into another grin.  
  
Kagome smiled "yea I hope so," she says to her little brother. "Hey mom, are you ready for Sota to go get grandpa?"  
  
"Yes can one of you go get him?" Her mother responds.  
  
"Ok mom, I will" Sota calls back as he runs out of the room.  
  
Kagome turns to InuYasha "I wonder what my grandfather will do when he sees you?" Kagome wonders aloud.  
  
InuYasha just eyes her and says, "Feh, what do I care? All he ever dose is yell and throw those scraps of paper at me."  
  
Kagome inwardly rolls her eyes and sighs knowing that InuYasha was right, all her grandpa ever did around InuYasha was yell about him being a demon and throw his scrolls at him...which InuYasha was greatly annoyed by. Kagome sighs as she hears sota return with her grandfather and braces for the explosion waiting to take place as her grandfather and sota come around the corner.  
  
Kagome's grandfather looks up and sees InuYasha, "**DEMON!!!!!** Get away from my family you evil being!!!!" he yells as he reaches into his robes and grabs his scrolls. "Demon begone!" he chants as he throws his scrolls all over InuYasha.  
  
InuYasha gives him a dead look and stares at him with a murderous glare for a few seconds until finally saying "and what was that supposed to do besides annoy the hell out of me?!"  
  
Kagome sighs as she looks at her grandfather, "hey grandpa please don't throw your scrolls at InuYasha anymore, it doesn't effect him and it gets him a crankier mood." she pleads.  
  
InuYasha gives her a dark glare and responds, "I am not cranky!"  
  
Kagome sighs and grabs InuYasha's arm as she pulls him into the kitchen calling back to everyone else "come on or dinner will get cold." She sits down and InuYasha plops down next to her, now in a sour mood. Kagome just smiles as the rest of her family sits down to start dinner, her grandfather still glaring at InuYasha. "Please pass the fish," she asks her little brother as he finishes serving himself. Kagome scooped some of the rice onto her plate and then slid a portion of fish onto her late next to her rice, she then went on to serve InuYasha who still had a sour look on his face but once the food was on his plate her dropped the look and started to eat.  
  
After a bit sota spoke up, "wow InuYasha, you did a good job on this rice."  
  
InuYasha looked up in surprise, and Kagome's grandfather all but dropped his fork.  
  
"InuYasha...cooked...this?!" Kagome's grandfather stuttered in disbelief.  
  
Kagome had been watching the conversation waiting for a time to enter and here it was, "Well InuYasha didn't do all of it, I helped him and mom cooked the fish, but yes InuYasha did cook the rice."  
  
Kagome's grandfather managed to croak out, "demon food..."  
  
Kagome and her mother scowled at him, "grandpa InuYasha did a good job and I think that you should give him a brake...I mean he may be a demon but look at how he has protected me for these last few years, I'm still in one piece and it all thanks to him." Kagome almost growled at her grandfather.  
  
Kagome's grandfather was taken aback but recovered, "well he is still a demon and should not be trusted." He argued.  
  
Kagome shot him a look that could kill and yelled "GRANDPA" at the same time as her mother, and her mother had the same threatening tone in it so that was enough to shut him up, for awhile at least.  
  
InuYasha was completely surprised by this, 'is Kagome defending me?...What is going on?...Am I imagining this?...no Kagome was always kind to me it was me who pushed her away...What?! What am I thinking "pushed her away"!?!? Wait I'm arguing with myself...I'd better stop or ill drive me insane...'  
  
Kagome continued the conversation by saying; "I hear the sota is going out with some friends tonight"  
  
Once her mother heard this she seemed to remember something, "oh I almost forgot, Kagome I have to go out and take sota and his friends out, and we wont be back until late." Her mother then looked to Kagome's grandfather to continue but her was in a bad mood from losing to Kagome and her mother about InuYasha to notice what was being said. So her mother continued for him, "and your grandfather has some errands to run that need to be done tonight, so in short you and InuYasha will be here by yourselves until late."  
  
Hearing "you and InuYasha" along with "by yourselves" Kagome's grandfather sprang back to reality. "Those don't need to be done tonight I can stay and watch Kagome"  
  
Kagome's mother scowled and said very sternly, "yes they do need to be done tonight"  
  
Kagome cut in, "I don't need to be babysat by you grandpa I can take care of myself"  
  
Her grandfather had been waiting for this, "You I trust, him I don't" he said gesturing to where InuYasha was sitting. InuYasha scowled. But her grandfather continued, "I don't want that boy alone with you Kagome, he's-"  
  
Kagome cut him off, "I have been alone with InuYasha loads of times...yea I mean we are usually with Sango and Miroku but I'm alone with InuYasha often enough." she finished as she gave him a look to stop while he was ahead.  
  
Kagome's grandfather shot InuYasha a look knowing he was defeated, but would never admit it.  
  
Kagome just then remembered something, "oh mom InuYasha doesn't have any clothes except for his kimono."  
  
Her mother looked puzzled for a moment and then said we need to go shopping tomorrow anyway so just write up a list and well add it to the one we already have.  
  
Kagome nodded and said, "k mom, InuYasha and I be excused?"  
  
Her mother nodded, "of coarse, and just leave your plates in the sink I'll get to them when I'm done"  
  
InuYasha picked up his long finished plate and followed Kagome out of the dinning room and into the kitchen where she put her plate into the sink. InuYasha followed doing the same. When Kagome walked back into the dinning room her grandfather was arguing with her mother, and when her grandfather spotted her walk in he glared at her and said, "He's coming isn't he?"  
  
Kagome blinked in surprise and then remembered that he didn't know yet, "oh sorry grandpa I forgot you didn't know, well yea he is so you'll just have to learn to get alone with him," she turns around to face InuYasha, "that goes for you too."  
  
InuYasha glares and then says "feh" but the look on Kagome's face made him say "whatever"  
  
Since that was the best answer that she knew that she would get out of him in that mood she settled with that and didn't push it.  
  
She then sprinted out of the room before her grandfather could say anything else and stopped in the living room to wait for InuYasha to walk in and then she stared up the stairs, InuYasha still grumbling from the goings on of downstairs.  
  
Kagome smiled and said, "well that went well" as an attempt to lighten he mood.  
  
InuYasha just said in a very annoyed tone "is he that irritable?"  
  
Kagome sighed and said, "fraid so, with you at least."  
  
"Why me" InuYasha wondered out loud.  
  
Kagome smiled as she opened her door to her room letting the hanyou pass her and walk into the room before walking in and closing the door behind her to keep her grandfather or any other member of the household for that matter from disturbing them.  
  
Kagome walked right over to her desk and opened the second drawer. She reached in and pulled out a pad of lined paper.  
  
InuYasha watched her as her sat down cross-legged on her bed, thinking to himself 'if the rest of this trip is anything like dinner, it is going to be a long few weeks...'  
  
Then Kagome came over and sat next to him saying, "ok lets get started on this packing list of yours..."

* * *

A/N: ohhh what will InuYasha think when they start to make a list of things that he hasn't even heard of? And how will the hanyou learn to get along with Kagome's grandfather?....In the next chapter of Family Trip!!! Ok what do you all think of chapter 2? Did I keep in good character? How was grandpa? I had trouble with his character since I don't really know much about him...or sota of her mom for that matter...but oh well what did you think of the plot? **REVIEW!!!**


	3. The List

disclaimer: i dont own InuYasha

**Chapter 3: The List...  
**  
Kagome sighed at she started to write. "T-shirts, socks, pants, shorts..." Kagome recited as she started to scribble fairly quickly on her pad of paper.  
  
InuYasha cut her off "what do I need all of that for?"  
  
Kagome gave him a dry look and explained, "ok number 1 you can't go walking around like that..."she indicates his bright red kimono, "you'll draw too much unwanted attention and those clothes need to be washed **SOMETIME**." InuYasha returned this comment with a severe look. But Kagome keep on going "I don't know when you wash them in the feudal era but in my time you are going to wash you clothes whether you like it or not...on a regular basis. And even if you do wash your kimono what are you going to do while its getting cleaned? Run around naked?"  
  
InuYasha glared knowing she had won but needed to say something as a comeback anyway, "I don't need..."  
  
But Kagome cut him off. "You DO need modern clothes and your going to have to get over it...now were was I?" she ended indicating that this argument was now over.  
  
InuYasha growled silently still whining to himself about the soon to be garment change, 'Why do I have to wear her stupid modern clothes? They're uncomfortable...'uh how do you know that?' a little voice in the back of his head questioned, 'they just are that's why! He answered. '...No, I will not do this, I will not argue with myself...especially over this stupid argument I have no chance of winning anyway' InuYasha let out a frustrated sigh and continued to listen to Kagome's ever growing list of things her would supposedly need...  
  
"Shoes, boxers..."Kagome went on.  
  
"Are we done yet?" InuYasha complained  
  
Kagome sighed and said, "No, that is only the bare essentials, very bare, now lets see, a few sweatshirts, a jacket...oh and I almost forgot...a numerous amount of hats..."  
  
"What in the world am I going to use a hat for?!" InuYasha exclaimed.  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes and said, "to cover your **EARS**!!!! Duh InuYasha, sigh sometimes you can be so dense."  
  
InuYasha made a face and to his surprise, Kagome smiled. "What?" he asked in complete sincerity.  
  
Kagome just laughed and said "your so cute when your made like that"  
  
InuYasha's jaw literarily hit the floor, 'what?! I mean I'm not complaining or anything, but that was just a little but out of the blue...or was it? I don't know, I'm so confused, help, but wait this is good...I think'  
  
He was brought back when Kagome reached up and tweaked one of his soft, white, fuzzy ears. Kagome then went back to her list and started to write more clothing articles on it, which just got him back into a bad mood.  
  
"Lets see, oh! And sunglasses, how could I have forgotten?" Kagome said  
  
InuYasha was now completely confused and getting a bit agitated by the fact that he did know **ANYTHING** about Kagome's world. By the look on InuYasha's face Kagome decided to tell him what sunglasses were.  
  
"Ok, InuYasha, sunglasses are plastic mostly and they are placed over your eyes but they have lenses in them so you can see though them but other people cant see you eyes...well that is what they are going to be used for in your case but most people use them to keep the sun out of there eyes."  
  
InuYasha blinked, possibly more confused now than before she explained them. Kagome rolled her eyes once more and said you'll see soon enough. She then stared into space with her head turned in InuYasha's direction and said to nothing in particular "what else?"  
  
By now InuYasha was bored out of his mind and very irritated as well as tired for some reason...'maybe its Kagome's weird era' he thought but since he was tired he was cranky and when Kagome asked "what else" to nothing he thought that the question was directed to him and he snapped backing a very harsh tone that he hadn't intended on using "How should I know wench?"  
  
Kagome was shocked at first by his harsh tone but then got angry, she had put up with his negative attitude all evening and now he snaps at her for no reason, 'that jerk!' "I wasn't asking you! I was just saying it you big jerk!" She snapped back, but not nearly as harsh as InuYasha had snapped at her.  
  
"fine! Whatever!" he was about to say something nasty but paused, 'what am I doing? I didn't mean to snap in the first place, why am I making it worse? She didn't even direct it at me...I am such an idiot, shouldn't I apologize? No, but wait I should but...but **OH QUITE MAKING EXCUSES AND JUST APOLOGIZE**!!! Fine...' InuYasha gave in to one of the many conflicting voices in his head." I'm sorry Kagome" he mumbled, "I didn't mean to snap at you like that" he had his face to the ground and was mumbling so it was hard to hear him.  
  
Kagome hear him just fine and blinked in surprise...'oh, my, god, did InuYasha just **APOLOGIZE?!** Wow now that's a first...no, this is a REAL first, he apologized and nobody forced him to...nobody even asked him to! Wow now this is weird, but hey I'm not gonna waste this I doesn't happen very often' "I'm sorry to InuYasha, I'm just a bit tired is all" Kagome says right before she yawns. InuYasha was surprised by his accepted apology and then on top of that Kagome apologized to and she didn't even do anything...but that was Kagome for you, always the good guy...or girl, whatever.  
  
After Kagome finishes yawning she leans over a bit and starts to lean on InuYasha who is surprised by this at first but then relaxes and just sits there content with Kagome peacefully resting on him. Once he turned to say something to her but ended up inhaling a full breath of her sent and relaxing again happy, for the moment.  
  
A few minuets later Kagome sat fully upright and InuYasha who had involuntarily started to lean into her fell over and would have hit her bed but landed in her lap instead.  
  
Kagome burst out laughing when he did so, she thought that is was pretty funny that he fell over onto her lap. She was laughing so hard that her eyes started to tear.  
  
InuYasha who hadn't moved though all of this looked at her with mild concern and said, "Are you all right Kagome? You're crying."  
  
Kagome nodded and said in between giggles while wiping her eyes dry of extra moisture, "no... I'm...ok... I... was just... laughing really...really hard... and some peoples'...eyes tear when they do that."  
  
InuYasha looked at her confused again and just replied, "whatever"  
  
Kagome smiled at this 'he is so cute when he is confused'  
  
InuYasha realizes something and says, "Hey, Kagome, what was so funny that made you laugh?"  
  
Kagome was surprised at this "well for one that look on your face was priceless and the fact that you fell over when I moved." She smiled just thinking about it.  
  
InuYasha rolled his eyes and sighed "Kagome, your weird."  
  
"And so are you" she replies softly.  
  
She then reaches down and stokes InuYasha's long soft whit hair.  
  
InuYasha is surprised by this and would have moved...except that Kagome's touch made him stay and once he relaxed he realized how good it felt for Kagome to play with his hair.  
  
Kagome's hand then came across one of his ears; she smiled as her hand brushed against its fuzzy surface.  
  
InuYasha didn't see Kagome smile since he had closed his eyes in relaxation when Kagome was grooming his hair.  
  
Kagome then moved both hands onto his ears and started to softly rub them.  
  
InuYasha almost sat up and growled at this, he didn't like people messing with his ears. He put up with Kagome's mother because he had to...come to think of it Kagome's mom had not yet tweaked his ears this visit but decided that was a good thing because if he was near her for more than two seconds she usually did. He also had to put up with Kagome touching them every once and awhile but not that often. And for some reason at first he had not been happy with Kagome rubbing his ears, but the longer she did it, the more he enjoyed it, her touch was so relaxing and for some reason it felt good to have someone affectionately rub his ears.  
  
Kagome sat there rubbing his ears wondering if it was ok, and decided it was since he didn't move or object. Then something happened that made her start, a soft growl emerged from InuYasha, it wasn't threatening or aggressive, but calm and welcoming more like a purr than anything else. 'Is InuYasha PURRING?' Kagome almost burst out laughing again but didn't want to kill the moment so to speak. So she settled for smiling very widely instead, Kagome sat there and rubbed his ears for some time, InuYasha purring for all of it, until Kagome's eyes wandered from his peaceful face to her clock. '8:30, 8:30! Shoot!!!' "Ah! It's 8:30!!"  
  
InuYasha just about jumped out of his skin, it had been dead silent until then, no grandpa, no Souta, it was dead silent, and then Kagome screamed. This not only startled him but it nearly killed his ears, his sensitive demon ears were stabbed with white-hot knives as the sound penetrated them. InuYasha rolled out of Kagome's lap clutching his ears groaning.  
  
He fell off the bed and Kagome hoped down next to him, "are you all right?" she asked with sincere concern.  
  
InuYasha al but growled back, "Why did you have to yell so loud?"  
  
Kagome blinked and realized what she had done, "oh sorry InuYasha I forgot, but I'm really sorry. I just realized what time it was and the list isn't even done."  
  
InuYasha groaned, "What do you mean it's not done?"  
  
"I only got the cloths part of your supplies on that list" she responded.  
  
"Figures" InuYasha mutters.  
  
"Now com on" Kagome says while she starts to dig though her dresser. "I have to take a shower." she pauses and a smiles.  
  
"What?" InuYasha asks at the look on her face, he was becomes more afraid of her by the second with the look she had.  
  
Kagome's grin becomes wider as she adds, "and so do you."

* * *

AN: So what do you think? Sorry about the long wait and the short chapter but I promise that the next one will make up for it...trust me. Oh how did you like InuYasha arguing with himself? Now that was fun to come up with but a bit hard to understand, so tell me if you got it or not I may have to reword it so more people get it. And I changed the way I spelled souta's name so hopefully that will make a few people happy, oh well, I will try to get the next chapter up soon and I will really try but with my big service project drawing nearer and nearer I have less and less time to do anything, plus I am still recovering from a long camping trip. So I'm not in the best of shape to be writing but I will try to get my next chapter up soon thanks to all who review I appreciate it a lot I hope you liked this chapter!!! 


	4. Shower Time!

**REVISED VERSION!!! FINAL REVISED VERSION  
**  
Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha and company...(darn)  
  
Ok sorry for the long wait but I think that this chapter will make up for it!! Yea finally I got to get on to type it has been what 2 weeks? How sad well I have this chapter all ready written and waiting to be typed...so enjoy...and don't forget to review...thanks to all who have!!!  
  
On to the story!!!!  
  
**Chapter 4 :Shower Time  
**  
InuYasha just stared at her for a few seconds '**WHAT?!** What, **NO**, she can't mean that, anything but that!!! Not a shower...what's a shower?' he thought while looking at Kagome for any sign or clue or well...anything but all she was doing now was going though her dresser drawers. "Ahhh, Kagome, uhh, well, what did you mean?"  
  
While still looking though her drawers she says, "I said that you have to take a shower"  
  
'Ok so it's a shower, what is a shower anyway? Dose it hurt? No, it cant, then Kagome wouldn't look forward to it if it did...but then what is it?' InuYasha pondered to himself while Kagome finished her dig though her dresser.  
  
"Ok, I found it InuYasha, come on follow me" Kagome tells InuYasha as she finishes her seek for the clothing article she was looking for. She then walks out of the room carrying 2 extra large t-shirts waiting for InuYasha to follow.  
  
InuYasha wines as he follows Kagome down the steps "why do I have to take a shower?"  
  
Kagome sighs and says, "Number one...because you can't get around without one in my time and because I don't want to be around a stinky hanyou this whole trip. That's why so quit your complaining and just come here," she says as she walks into the laundry room.  
  
'Ooookkkk now that was different...wait did she just call me a **STINKY** hanyou?' wondered InuYasha as he walked into the laundry room behind Kagome.  
  
Kagome started to dig though the piles upon piles of clothes that were not yet taken up to one of the bedrooms to be worn. Kagome then stopped at her grandfather's and started to pull some articles up from the bottom, she spend a few seconds looking though them and pulled one out. It was a pair of boxers that had actually belonged to her father, they found a box of his clothes a few weeks ago and they kept what they though grandpa would wear. What Kagome knew that nobody else did was that her grandfather would **NEVER** wear those so it was ok to let InuYasha use them. She them went over to her pile and picked up 2 plaid flannel lounge pants and put them on to of her pile she then picked out 2 towels and put her pile of clothes on top. "Here InuYasha carry this upstairs for me" Kagome says as she hands the cloth to InuYasha and starts to walk towards the stairs.  
  
But before she left the laundry room she stole a glance at eh washer to make sure the almost full load of red she had collected was sill waiting to be washed. It was of coarse and with that she left eh laundry room and walked up the stairs with the irritable hanyou following her.  
  
Kagome walks into the bathroom and pulls the two towels out from underneath the clothes and hangs them on the towel rack that is screwed to the wall. The she takes InuYasha's pile of clothes and places the on the bathroom counter with her clothes next to them and says, "Thanks InuYasha"  
  
InuYasha tries to hide his happiness from being praised but he smiles ever so slightly anyway. "Ok now what" he asks trying to have with a very negative tone to it.  
  
Kagome glares and threatens, "you'd better get in a decent mood quick or you'll get it InuYasha." (She obviously thought that he was in a bad mood)  
  
InuYasha blinked at her abruptness but just feh'd and fell silent.  
  
"Ok InuYasha come here I want to show you how the shower works ok?" Kagome informs InuYasha  
  
InuYasha sighs and walks towards Kagome to hover over her shoulder and watch what she was explaining.  
  
"Ok-"Kagome starts  
  
"Hey Kagome, What's a Shower?" InuYasha cuts her off  
  
"Kagome gave him a look while she jogged her memory 'ha I can't believe I haven't told InuYasha about a shower...this should be interesting....' "Uhhh it a form of bathing but it more modern and convenient."  
  
"Uhhhh" was InuYasha's only reply.  
  
"Urg pay attention would you, I'm going to explain how the shower works" and Kagome opens the door to the shower/tub and kneels down next to it in between it and the now closed toilet. She smiles as she to motions InuYasha to come over and watch her.  
  
InuYasha then hops over onto the toilet seat behind her and leans over her shoulder to watch her. Kagome starts to explain what all the knobs and bottles and such are used for and how they work. At one point near the end InuYasha got so involved into what she had to say that he leans to far forward and losses his balance. His arms moved fastest of as a reflex and he lengthened his legs he then fell with his hands forward catching him so he doesn't land flat on his face.  
  
Kagome was startled by the sudden movement and blinked a few times once InuYasha had caught himself but then fell of the balls of her feed onto her rear end laughing as hard as she could.  
  
InuYasha was now in an arch above Kagome, she was on the floor his feet were on the toilet seat and his legs were strait and so were his legs as his arms supported his top half and he was looking at her face with a priceless expression.  
  
Kagome was still laughing her head off when InuYasha finally spoke, "what's so funny? He asked.  
  
Kagome toke a little but she finally was able to squeak out, "your...face...was...priceless...you...were so...cute" in between giggles.  
  
Kagome didn't realize what she had said but InuYasha did, his mouth would have hit the floor but he was upside down at the moment and it was easier just to give her a extremely surprised and confused look but Kagome didn't see it she was still laughing and tears were now forming in her eyes and running down her cheek.  
  
InuYasha all of a sudden became worried and asked in a truly worried tone "hey Kagome what's wrong?"  
  
Kagome was surprised until she noticed that she was crying, "oh its nothing InuYasha it just some people tear when they laugh hard that's all.  
  
InuYasha was surprised but said, "ok..."  
  
Kagome had just gotten an idea from the utterly ridiculous position that InuYasha in, she moved slowly and silently till her feet her under her so she could move fast and so InuYasha wouldn't have time to react. She then turned around quick as a flash grabbed InuYasha's ankles and tossed them behind her. This send InuYasha completely into the tub in a crumpled heap. Kagome turned around in time to see InuYasha still in a heap his face planted into the plaster of the tub.  
  
Kagome laughed at this and InuYasha was definitely surprised to say the least he groaned as he moved his head from under him and yelled, "what was that for?"  
  
"Just for fun" was Kagome innocent reply.  
  
InuYasha glared 'innocent, ha what was I thinking?!? When was Kagome EVER innocent?!?' He thought while he moved his face out of the bottom of the tub.  
  
Kagome went into another fit of giggles and InuYasha glared at her.  
  
"I'm sorry InuYasha it just that the look on your face was soooo funny!!" Kagome manages to get out before going into another bout of giggles overtakes her at the memory of it.  
  
'Hey what happened to "cute"...**AAAHHHHH** what am I thinking?!?! Cute I never wanted to be called that in the first place!!! **URG KAGOME**!!!!' InuYasha lets out a frustrated sigh and starts to get lost in his thoughts again 'what is she doing to me?...'  
  
InuYasha is pulled back to reality when Kagome starts to stand up, "hey are you gonna sit there all night?"  
  
Thud  
  
InuYasha meets the plaster of the tub for the second time in a matter of 5 minuets. "**HEY WHADYA DO THAT FOR WENCH?!"  
**  
Kagome blinks, "sorry I forgot."  
  
"**HOW COULD YOU FORGET SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!?!**" InuYasha yells.  
  
"Well, I can usually say it in my time" Kagome retorts.  
  
"Feh" InuYasha says as he takes Kagome's hand and she pulls him to his feet.  
  
Kagome then goes on to finish her speech about the shower and InuYasha is now on the ground next to Kagome were he cant fall over. (Ohhh so he dose learn...lol)  
  
Kagome finished her speech and said, "Ok I'm going to get undressed and take my shower then ill leave the water running and you can take one after me, ok?"  
  
InuYasha nodded out of habit and Kagome grabbed her towel and ran out the door into her room to get undressed and ready for her shower. She came back a few moment later wrapped in a towel and said "come over here and watch as I turn the water on so you know how to do it for later." Kagome gave him a severe look when he didn't move. With the look he just sighed and ambled over to were he could see what se was doing. She turned the right knob first and let it sit for a moment then ran her hand under the water. She seemed to be happy with the water temperature since she then turned the other knob and added cold water to the liquid coming out of the faucet. She then ran her hand under the water again to check the temperature the adjusted the hot and cold a little but before she turned the middle knob and sent the water that was currently about to flow out of the faucet to the showerhead. It was just like Kagome had explained it.  
  
'I think I get this' InuYasha thought to himself as Kagome asked him to turn and face the wall as she got in. he did so and started to examine the "beautiful" wall of the bathroom.  
  
Kagome took her shower and told InuYasha what all the colored bottles were used for the whole time. InuYasha was kind of lost but kept repeating the fact over and over in his head so he would not forget them, 'the pink is shampoo and the white is conditioner but the white with blue stripes on it is a soap...and the purple puffy ball was a shower squeegee...'  
  
Kagome's voice then sounded sending him back to reality "hey InuYasha, turn around again so I can get out."  
  
InuYasha sighed and turned to face the "beautiful" wall again while Kagome wrapped herself in the towel now dripping wet. "Ok InuYasha you can look now" Kagome reassured the hesitant hanyou.  
  
InuYasha turned around to find Kagome in a _VERY_ short bath towel. "Ahhh, Kagome Don't you think that it's a bit short?" he asked nervously.  
  
Kagome looked down, "Na its fine this is the normal length of a bath towel that is why we never go near Miroku when we bathe he would definitely notice it more that you would."  
  
InuYasha blushed a little and just feh'd softly.  
  
Kagome then spoke up, "ok I'm gonna step outside so you can get undressed and slip in the shower, ok?"  
  
InuYasha noticed a blush creep onto his face as he started talking, "uhhh c- could you stay in here and just face the wall of something...I-I just feel better if you're here since I don't know how this works."  
  
Kagome was surprised at first but then smiled and nodded, "ok InuYasha"  
  
InuYasha let out a sigh and relaxed, he then started to remove his kimono while Kagome now looked at the "beautiful" wall. InuYasha was now fully undressed and was starting to feel embarrassed to be nude in the same room as Kagome especially since all she was wearing was a towel..."uh Kagome were should I put my kimono?" InuYasha asked as innocently as he could.  
  
"Just on the counter" was Kagome's answer while she stayed stating at the wall.  
  
There was a plop and the sliding of a door before InuYasha spoke again. "Ok Kagome you can turn around now."  
  
He now knew why Kagome longed for the things that she called showers. InuYasha was surprised at how good it felt to let the warm water run down your back washing away the dirt and grime (and blood in this case). He then turn around and let the welcoming warm water run down his front and to wash his face of impurities.  
  
Kagome decided that she wanted to give him a hard time and teased, "Well about time, I was starting to get stiff." Then she laughed lightly to make sure that InuYasha got the point that she was kidding.  
  
Luckily he did so no argument started from that comment, "ummm hey Kagome you I use the sham-poo first?"  
  
"Yea you got it InuYasha, now there are 3 different bottles of shampoo the pink one is strawberry scented the blue one is rainforest and the clear bottle is my brothers shampoo, id advise you to stay away from it, it smells really bad to me and I don't even have that good of a nose."  
  
InuYasha had to smirk at this, what she said was true all he had to do was move his head close to the bottle a he could smell its hideous sent. After smelling the other two shampoos he chose the strawberry and lathered it into his LONG silvery mane. After it became sudsy he washed it out like Kagome had told him to and the picked up a conditioner (he knew he remembered about this one) and smothered it into his hair and let it sit and soak in while he then asked Kagome another question, "so what soap do I use Kagome?"  
  
Kagome had been waiting to use for him to ask another question and answered this one rather quickly, "you can either use one of the bars or the liquids and you can use a squeegee if you want but only use the blue or the green one ok the purple one is grandpa's, and I don't want to think of what he would do if he found out that you used his bathing tool...ha!"  
  
InuYasha even had to smirk at this, he was kind of funny when he was throwing thing around and always seemed to be on what appeared to be on the verge of hysterics.  
  
"Hey InuYasha?" Kagome ventured.  
  
InuYasha had not expected Kagome's question and was caught off guard by her voice. "Uhhh" he answered nervously "what Kagome?"  
  
"What do you think of my family?" She asked straight out  
  
InuYasha all but dropped the bottle of soap he was holing, "uhhhh, well, ummmm, I, uhh, I truthfully don't know..."he finished.  
  
Kagome was surprised at his answer but then thought to herself 'what were you expecting? Uhhh I don't know,' admitted a part of her mind.  
  
"Why?" InuYasha asked now curious to why the question had come up.  
  
"Well, I was just wondering since you are going to have to spend the next month with all of them." Kagome answered calmly.  
  
"What?!" InuYasha cried as her dropped the green squeegee her was using to clean himself with.  
  
"Well I'm not sure if I clarified the fact that my grandpa would be with us the whole time." Kagome said thoughtfully.  
  
"Well no you didn't." InuYasha all but yelled.  
  
Kagome laughed, "InuYasha it will be fine, he'll get over it after awhile, he'll get depressed that his spells don't work and stop so you don't have to live with it for long."  
  
InuYasha pouted, "whatever he retorted as he picked up the green squeegee and resoaped it and continued to clean himself. About 5 minutes later InuYasha had washed the soap and conditioner out of his hair and was enjoying the feeling of the warm water flowing over his soft skin one last time before he asked Kagome another question, "ahh, Kagome, how do you turn this thing off?"  
  
Kagome looked up at the frosted shower door, now fully dressed and smiling since InuYasha's kimono was in the wash and he couldn't do anything about it. "Oh turn all the knobs to the left, starting with the middle one then the left one and last the right one, ok?"  
  
InuYasha nodded but Kagome didn't see since she was concentrating on something else. He turns all the knobs off and grabs a towel from the side of the shower door. He then wraps it around his waist and opens the door to get out.  
  
Upon hearing this Kagome gives some advice. "Watch out when you get out its slippery and you will probably fall if your not paying any attention to your feet"  
  
InuYasha just "feh'd" and stepped out sloppily. Just like Kagome said he would slip, he did, he was all the way out and was about to turn around to close the door when his foot came out from under him and he started to fall. He reached out in front of him out of habit and grabs Kagome's arm. Kagome wasn't ready for that and starts to fall to the floor with a squeak. InuYasha had ended up sliding forward and in an attempt to balance himself he leaned back pulling Kagome forward on top of him and his feet out from under him the other way. He still ended up on the floor but this way Kagome didn't get hurt and he took all the impact.  
  
Kagome was now all wet and her hair, which she had just gotten pulled back was all over the place. InuYasha was also lying on the floor with Kagome stuck on top if him because he still hadn't let go of her wrist. Kagome could feel her cotton t-shirt absorbing the water off of InuYasha's wet torso. The thing that surprised her the most was the close contact they both had.  
  
InuYasha then let go of Kagome's wrist and pushed her off of him and helped her up. They both had a growing blush on their cheeks from the accidental close contact they had just encountered, mind you Kagome's was a darker blush but InuYasha had one too.  
  
'InuYasha!!! Why didn't you listen?!?!...Jerk!!!' Kagome thought as made a face at InuYasha.  
  
"Uh, Kagome? I'm sorry" came a hesitant voice that she knew so well.  
  
"You'd better be sorry!!!" she fumed and the said in a much calmer tone she responded once she relized that he had just apologized on his own free will "get dressed in your pajama's and meet me in my room"  
  
InuYasha blinks at the sudden change of expression that Kagome has but doesn't argue since she seemed to be ok by the last tone she used on him so he wasn't going to ruin It if she was going to let him off that easy than he better take advantage of it since I didn't happen too often...  
  
Kagome walked out of the bathroom and once in her room let out a deep sigh "well that was interesting" she mumbled to herself and then let out another sigh while she waited for InuYasha to come back.  
  
InuYasha was still grumbling about being yelled at, but only to himself, so he didn't do it later to Kagome. He then stepped back into he tub, shut the door and shook the water off of him like a dog. Once he was done he looked down at the pile of clothes that Kagome had left him, "ok...what are these for?" the then looked around for his red kimono but didn't find it then it hit him.  
  
Flashback

* * *

While InuYasha rinsed out his hair Kagome spoke up and asked him a question "hey InuYasha, you ok for now?"  
  
"Huh? Yea I'm fine, why?" the curious InuYasha wondered.  
  
"Oh I'm just going to go check something, that's all, I'll be right back." Kagome reassured him.  
  
There was a flash of red he saw from the corner of his eye and a hasty retreat by Kagome. (Laundry room quick!!)  
  
"Ok" InuYasha responded content with the situation at the time.  
  
End Flashback

* * *

'That's it she took my kimono when she left to "check on something" didn't she?' InuYasha assumed. InuYasha wined as she as he got into the clothes that Kagome had left for him. Once he was in them, he noticed that they weren't as uncomfortable as he thought that they would be. 'Hey these clothes aren't that bad, they are loose and I can move around in them and they are made of a relatively soft material so they are not that much of a nuisance.' InuYasha thought 'well they could be better but this is human clothes we are talking about here so it isn't that bad, but I still like my fire rat armor better.' He complained to himself as he left the bathroom.  
  
InuYasha sighed one last time before he opened the door to Kagome's room and walked in.

* * *

A/N: Ok, so it wasn't that great...it was going to be, but I got a bad cause of writers block after I started so I took me a long time to finished and have time to type it up...(stupid service project) anyway since I was going to have this trip take place in the united states should I just pretend to have them live there or should I have them fly to the US? Please tell me in your review!!! (Thanks to all who have reviewed!!!) Oh and by the way surfbratt I really may but I don't know what fluff is...I get the general idea of it from all the context clues but I really don't know what fluff is...lol how sad am I...well I would actually surprise me more if I know since I am the last person you would think of to write a romance story...you can ask any of my friends...really...anyway yea sorry about the not so great chapter. Oh and since my service project is in 9 days I wont be able to update till then...so sorry but you cant expect a quick update I'll be really busy!!!Sigh cant wait till its over then I will actually have some free time!!!! Later 


	5. Constellations

**IMPORTANT!!! I UPDATED CHAPTER 4!!!! THE ENDING CHANGED**... It is slightly different but has relatively the same idea to it...but you might want to read it...I will be referring to it later in the story...beware I use foreshadowing...a lot, lol I have gotten used to sneaking it in...  
  
**Chapter 5**   
  
Kagome let out a frustrated breath, 'he is such a jerk...doesn't he listen...no, of course not I'm only a human! No reason to listen to me! Stupid InuYasha!' She thought as she flung herself onto her bed. She was now lying on her back looking at the ceiling...no, glaring at the ceiling. 'Wait, why am I getting so mad about this? It's not like I haven't been that close to InuYasha before...I sleep in his lap for crying out loud' Kagome frowned. 'Darn it InuYasha!! Why do you have to be so so so...stupid sometimes!!' she then lets out a heavy sigh and falls into though  
  
'Great, Now she's mad at me," InuYasha's ears droop, 'and I deserve it this time too...I really should have listened back there,' he thought 'no, I'm too good to listen to a human' the other side of his mind taunts, 'what dose she know?' it adds smartly, 'shut up! She knows a lot especially in this time era, I don't know anything...or very little anyway' he responds, 'so she is still a worthless human,' his other side so kindly points out. 'I said leave me alone and go away I don't need to hear this from you! Kagome was right and that's final!!!' his mind shouts driving the other half of the argument out. Now that he had only one opinion in his head he could think better, 'I'd better apologize to her once I get inside, she seemed pretty upset.' He took a deep breath and put his hand on the round knob ready to open the door open the door.  
  
Kagome was still lost in her thought when InuYasha turned the doorknob. With the sound of her door she snapped back to reality. She pulled herself up off the bed and propped herself on her elbows.  
  
InuYasha entered cautiously afraid of what Kagome would do to him when he came in. he braced himself for her yelling, or "sitting" or whatever she was going to do to him. 'Why am I so scared? She is just a mortal girl, she can't hurt me...but she can and she dose, quite often when she leaves or when she takes sides with Kouga. Wait why am I getting jealous, Kagome wouldn't betray me. Wow, wow, wow, betray? She can't betray you, there is nothing to betray stupid!!!...Now what? What do you mean "now what?" Apologize, that's what!' his rational side thinks, 'But your to prideful to do that' his other side taunts again back to haunt him. 'No, I will, your not getting the best of me!!!' he argues. 'Fine, fine tough guy, I gotta see this.' It teases. InuYasha growls internally at it and it back off. InuYasha finally came out of his trance when Kagome shifts moving into a sitting position on her bed finally realizing where he is. Kagome was upset at him (yet again) he could tell by the expression written on her face, it always pained him to see Kagome upset but at him it hurt more (although he causes it quite often) 'Crap! I sure picked a good time to daydream didn't I?' InuYasha started to open his mouth to apologize, "Kagome I'm I'm I'm s-"  
  
Kagome cut him off though "You don't have to apologize...yes, you did chose not to listen to me, and ended up getting me wet, but I didn't have the right to yell at you like I did, I lost my temper" Kagome sighs and looks at the ground  
  
InuYasha looked at her somewhat surprised 'what in the world just happened here? I am supposed to be apologizing and she is instead! Well that Kagome for ya..and if it wasn't she would have left me and the feudal era a long time ago'  
  
InuYasha was still in shock when Kagome spoke next, "I just don't want to argue, we're on vacation now, so we shouldn't fight, Ok InuYasha?" Kagome looked up from the floor looking for InuYasha's answer.  
  
InuYasha just nods involuntarily and smiles to himself as she smiles. His mind races as the words finally hit him 'Vacation, so this trip is a vacation? I thought the idea of a vacation was to relive stress not cause it...I can smell it radiating off of her and it's been there awhile' "I'm still sorry Kagome"  
  
Kagome looks at him surprised 'he's still sorry even thought I told him he didn't have to be?...' Kagome sat up from her bed and walked over to InuYasha placing a hand on his shoulder making him look up. Right into Kagome's eyes, "Thank you" Kagome said very clearly and with a smile.  
  
"For what?" InuYasha asks surprised, getting lost in Kagome's soft welcoming eyes.  
  
Kagome smiles even bigger, "for apologizing" she states.  
  
InuYasha smirks, 'she's back...or at least not mad anymore, thank god she doesn't hold a grudge' InuYasha thought happily letting a small smile creep over his usually serious features.  
  
"I'll get you later anyway" she adds with a mischievous grin on her face.  
  
InuYasha visually cringes, 'Crap now I'm in trouble, she's plotting revenge at me or at least she is planning to get me, her of all people...either way I'm in trouble...she can come up with some pretty horrible things to do to me, I mean yea she is nice and kind and caring and all but she has to take her anger out on something or someonegulp...and it will probably be mainly me' InuYasha thought with a shutter.  
  
Kagome notices his shutter and laughs falling onto her bed, "What is the puppy afraid of a little girl?" Kagome teases.  
  
InuYasha glares, "wanna test me?" he growls.  
  
Kagome couldn't take in and fall into another bout of giggles as InuYasha growls his threat.  
  
"whats so funny?" he asks trying to stay mad but it didn't work he looks at the girl hopelessly and sighs as he watches her, she was now red in the face and was breathing hard with a big smile on her features.  
  
Kagome regained something close to her normal breathing rate and asked, "hey InuYasha, what do you want to do? Its 8:55 and I have to go to bed at 10:00. So we have about an hour till we have to go to sleep."  
  
InuYasha looked at her as if she was crazy, "what is there to do? And why do you have to go to bed at 10?"  
  
Well I have to go to bed at 10 so I cant catch up on some sleep, and I for things I have to get done before the trip...so yea...hum let me think...well, we could go downstairs and I could explain more of the appliances to you" at this suggestion InuYasha's eyes widened in fear at the thought of more "knowledge" in his head at the moment. Kagome smiled at the look of absolute terror on his face and continued, "We could watch a movie or we could play a game...electronic or a board game."  
  
"What's a movie? And what's a game...ee-lec-tron-ec or a board one?" InuYasha asks rolling the new word questionably off his tongue and looked at Kagome expectantly.  
  
"Well," Kagome began "a movies is an acted play or book that is viewed on the TV. You remember the TV. Right? InuYasha nods remembering the last time he was here Souta had shown him the TV and how to work it. Seeing him nod Kagome continues. "An ELECTRONIC game is one you play with an electronic game system like this" she points to the black playstation2 sitting on the floor in front of the TV that Kagom had in the corner of her room." That you plug into the TV and visual images show up and you try to win, whatever the goal of the game is...I could be to score a goal or finish a level or beat up someone...or something. And a board game is a game you play with plastic pieces (usually) and you play it on a cardboard board...hence the name **BOARD** game."  
  
"Ok..." InuYasha responds  
  
"Or we could listen to music, oooor...Oh, why don't we go outside and I can point out the constellations for you?" Kagome suggested.  
  
InuYasha didn't know what a constellation was but he liked the idea of going outside. "What is a con-ste-lla-tion?" he asks running this new word off his tongue too.  
  
Kagome laughed lightly at the look on his face as he tried to annunciate his words, "Ok, a constellation is an arrangement of stars. They can be really pretty and I know a lot of them from my time but you may know some you could point out some from your time."  
  
InuYasha grins, "Ok let go do that" he responds agreeing.  
  
Kagome smiles and beckons InuYasha our of the room, "come on lets go" she then walks downstairs and was about to grab a flashlight so she could get to the God Tree but noticed that it was a full moon, it was so bright that you could see easily without one. 'Darn, now we wont be able to see the stars as distinctly...what am I saying? You can't see them that good from the city anyway (darn light pollution!), it is so much clearer in the feudal era, its so nice to be able to see them...I take it for granted because I sleep under them almost every night' she then let out a soft sigh and opened the sliding door in the back.  
  
InuYasha follows her outside curiously until they reach the God Tree. Kagome looked up thought its branches lets out a relaxing breathe as she sees the moonlight seeping thought its branches and leaves. Once she lets her breath out she starts for the tree to climb it but with a roll of his eyes InuYasha hops up next to her and wraps his arms around her waist firmly and leaps into one of the top branches of the tree.  
  
Kagome was surprised at this but didn't complain, then InuYasha settled her in his lap (which he was very used to since that was how they slept in the feudal era.).  
  
Kagome was now comfortable and looked up into the sky and smiled...she was always into astronomy, and when she first went back to the feudal era al she did for hours on end was look at the stars and enjoy how clear it was. Plus from studying them for fun so long she knew just about all the constellations. She figured that she would start of with a main and significant star. "Ok InuYasha that is the North Star" she tells him pointing to a bright star that is slightly to the right of them and away from the horizon high in the sky.  
  
InuYasha watches her with seriousness and tries to stash some of the information away for in the future when he may need it...'like with the North Star you could navigate by fining it and walking towards it, that was north.' Then Kagome went on to tell him about Orion and the 3 bright stars in a row that make his belt, that was a winter constellation so it was far down, towards the horizon. She finished her star speech with the big and little dippers. The "Big Dipper" is part of a constellation, Ursa Major and the little dipper is its own constellation, its official name is Ursa Minor. (Tailed Bears) He also found out a way to find them relatively easy, Ursa Minor is pouring into the "Big Dipper".  
  
It was getting cold out, even InuYasha was aware of it. Kagome shivered slightly and InuYasha noticed, he pulled her closer to him. Kagome didn't struggle but cuddled up into his warm embrace. InuYasha was surprised at this because of the incident that happened about an hour ago. 'Well I guess I was correct...that's got to be the first thing I have done right' he thinks as he embraces her He then turned his attention back to the teenage girl in his lap listened intently once again as she explain more of the constellations to him.  
  
After a small while and few constellations later Kagome got cold again and InuYasha looked down at her with sincere concern, "You know if you're cold you can just say so and we'll go in, if your mom doesn't want you out after dark I assume its so you don't get sick...and by staying out late in the cold you'd be defeating the purpose."  
  
Kagome just stared at him for a moment in complete and total shock, 'what did he just say? Did he even know what he said? If he dose, then dose he understand what he said?...this isn't like him...wait, yes it is, he is always trying to protect me...always no matter what...ha, so he is a softy...ha!!' Kagome looks up into his warm face and smiles at him, and then responds, "Yea, I'm a little cold, you're right we should probably go in now"  
  
InuYasha just rolls his eyes and pulls Kagome out of the tree onto the ground, she stumbles a bit from not being used to standing and InuYasha firmly grabs her shoulders to steady her. Kagome then smiles up at him thankfully and walks to the door, when she dose this InuYasha lets go of her but watches her protectively as she ambles over to the door.  
  
'Wow, I cant believe how tired I am...I mean it do run around the feudal era all the time...I have a right to be tired, but still-' her thought were but off when she yawns. She then gives up arguing with herself and opens the door to the house, she and InuYasha walk in and Kagome closes the door. The two of them both walk up the stairs and into Kagome's room.  
  
Once there Kagome looks at her hair and makes a face, she then turns around to InuYasha and tosses him a brush while she picks one up for herself. Kagome stars to run the brush though her long ebony hair.  
  
InuYasha gives her a curious look, "Ahhh? Kagome, what do I do with this?"  
  
Kagome turns around from her mirror and faces InuYasha, "See, it's a hair brush and you run it though your hair like this." she tells him as she pulls the brush though her hair another time to demonstrate to InuYasha how it works. "Its to get all the knots out of your hair and to make it look nice." Kagome continues.  
  
InuYasha gives her a curious look but tries it anyway finding his hair just let the brush fall though it, he is surprised at this since Kagome had to work at it at first to make her hair straight, but he kept pulling the brush though his hair until he had brushed all of it. He was watching Kagome the whole time and when he was finished she put her brush down and InuYasha walked over to do the same and set the brush down next to the one that Kagome was using.  
  
Kagome smiled and then yawned, InuYasha smiled lightly at this, "tired" he asked, teasing her.  
  
Kagome shoots him a glare, "why?"  
  
InuYasha just smirks, "no reason,"  
  
Kagome shoots him a death glare but it doesn't affect him...or not the way Kagome want it to, he smiles at her mischievously. Kagome's eyes widen in shock, 'Ohhh no, this can't be good' "I-InuYasha?" I ask cautiously at the look on his face.  
  
Seeing her face covered in confusion InuYasha smiled a genuine smile and rolled his eyes starting to laugh.  
  
Kagome was now clueless, "uhhh, InuYasha, are you ok?"  
  
InuYasha just smirked at her and responded, "I'm fine"  
  
Kagome gave him a suspicious look but it was pushed aside when she yawned.  
  
InuYasha rolled his eyes again and said, "See you're tired, I told you"  
  
"I didn't try to deny it ya know!" Kagome responded sitting down next to InuYasha on the bed.  
  
InuYasha smirks again and pulls Kagome onto his lap, and then he pushes his back onto the wall so he was leaning on it. They were in the same position as in the tree but they were inside on Kagome's pink bed...(A/N: now that has to be a pretty funny sight...lol) then InuYasha whispers into her ear, "good because so am I"  
  
Kagome is definitely surprised at his remark but smiles and cuddles up closer to him as she becomes drowsy in the embrace of InuYasha. But before she falls asleep she sets her alarm to get her up in the morning. "Night InuYasha" Kagome mumbles as she falls into a blissful sleep held by InuYasha's arms.  
  
InuYasha smiles as he hears Kagome mumble her good night and nuzzles her neck returning the gesture, "Night Kagome" after a few moments of listening to her breathing patterns they start to slow down dramatically. InuYasha knew she was asleep when he heard her take a few deap long breathes in a row. Once she was safely asleep he inhaled a lungful of Kagome's scent, this immediately relaxed him and let him start to drift into a much needed slumber holding onto the "weak" human girl who traveled with him in search of the Shikon no Tama.

* * *

Ok soooo? What did you all think? Sorry that this chapter was so short and I am VERY sorry that is took sooooooo long...oh my gosh I have been sooo busy!!...I have had my silver project...its done and over with now and I finished finals, yea and I am now finishing up 2 big English projects, yea 2 big projects at the same time right after finals, it dosent make any sense to me!! Anyway I have also had booth sales all weekend long...but that is finally diening down so I should have some free time on my hands after this chapter is up but who know who long that will last...lol anyway so was that an ok chapter?...THANKS for all the reviews they are helping so keep 'em coming!!!  
  
**CHAPTER 4 IS REVISED!!! I CHANGED THE ENDING!!!!!**(not the very end but when Inu gets out of the shower) 


	6. Morning Light

Disclaimer: i dont own Inu...

OK thanks for all who reviewed!!! They all help a lot, and to answer some questions that you had, yes this trip WILL be real I am taking it in August I'm leaving July 30-sometime in August, it will be slightly different from my trip since I am only going to Michigan....but, I grew up in NY so I'll have some insight on the east coast...it is sooooo humid there during the summer...I hate it, I am sooo spoiled here in CA...yea and yes the foreshadowing...muahaha lol (sorry about the random moment there)  
  
Now onto the story!!!!!

* * *

**Chapter 6: Morning Light**  
  
Kagome yawned, still tired from the sleep that had moments before blanketed her. She also didn't want to move because of the comfortable position she was in, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and her back was leaned against InuYasha's warm torso she was now so used to waking up like this she couldn't remember not waking up like this...except that they were just about always up in a tree. But the reason she did finally open her eyes was because the sun was shining in them, she had to blink a few times so that she could see. Once she could she noticed her alarm clock, 'clock' she thought groggily. 'wait, clock...alarm....I should better turn that off before it goes off...' she then reaches over and disables the alarm so it doesn't flip InuYasha out.(and so she dosent lose another alarm clock) She was then about to relax and fall back asleep when she remembered why she was getting up so early, 'darn, and I thought I was going to get to sleep in...oh well' she shifted slightly to wake herself up and then faced the task of getting out of InuYasha's arms while not waking him up.... Kagome slowly moved his right arm and slipped out of his grasp and grabbed the nearest stuffed animal, putting it in InuYasha's to make sure he didn't wake up form her absence.  
  
Kagome had to bite her tongue from laughing out loud at her choice of stuffed animals, it was the big white dog that Souta had gotten her for her birthday last year. Souta had chosen that as her gift so she had a little reminder of InuYasha when she came home, whether she was mad, upset, or just getting a break. Kagome smiled at her brother's kindness and remembered how happy she was to see it had ears just like InuYasha's.  
  
Kagome then started to look though her desk drawers for her math and English books. (She doesn't really need to study history, she is presently living though it) she then walked out of her room whispering a temporary farewell, "I'll see you later InuYasha" 'it is probably a good thing he is not up or else he would give me a hard time for leaving and I really don't want to deal with that right now.' She was now downstairs and smelled something in the kitchen. She walked in to see her mom making eggs (I know its American but hey...I'm American and I don't have a clue what Japanese people eat for breakfast...) "yum mom those smell good"  
  
Her mother smiles at her, "I'm glad, oh, where's InuYasha?"  
  
"Oh, he is still sleeping, I don't know why he usually is up way before the rest of us...I guess he was tired and finally had a change to really relax without the fear of being attacked in his sleep."  
  
Her mother nodded in acknowledgement, "I think your right, so I wont wake, but if he wakes up-"  
  
"-don't tell him were I am" Kagome cuts in, "just tell him im out and will be back in a few hours, if you tell him were I am he will come looking for me..."  
  
Her mother smiles, "I know, now eat so you can be on time to meet Ayumi."  
  
"Ok mom," she responds before she starts to eat rather quickly. When she was finished to let her mom know she was leaving and walked out the door and down the street to her best friends house to get some studying done. Yes, it is the summer, but she needed to catch up and get a heads up for next year plus Ayumi could use the refresher.  
  
She had finished her walk to her friends house and knocked on her door, a few seconds later Ayumi answered the door with a smile on her face, "I'm glad you made it Kagome, I was afraid that you might get sick again"  
  
Kagome smiled sheepishly, "ahhhh, yea, I made sure I didn't get sick, I need the studying."  
  
Ayumi smiled, "good let's get started." She concludes walking into the living room were there are already a pile of books lying out on the table in front of the couch. Ayumi and Kagome sit down on the couch and Kagome lets her friend know what she needs to get accomplished on this visit so that she can get everything covered that she wants to before she leaves.  
  
Ayumi nods and says "Ok we'll start with algebra," Kagome lets out a groan but leans over the math book so that her friend can explain the variables, functions and equations to her. Next they move onto English, Kagome dose fairly well on that but it was good to go over some of the technical terms. They then did a brief run over of science and Kagome found that was more useful and needed than she thought. And at long last Kagome helped Ayumi with History...(I wonder why?) after they finished with there studying Kagome found out she had some time left before she had to go back.  
  
"Hey Ayumi what had been going on here?" Kagome asks with mild curiosity.  
  
"What do you mean Kagome?" the black haired girl asked.  
  
"Well I haven't been around so I was wondering if you could tell me if anything happened?"  
  
Ayumi looked at her curiously, "what do you mean by 'I haven't been around', Kagome?"  
  
Kagome suddenly realized her mistake but it was too late, 'what do I say?! I don't know, what do I say!?! Crap! Wait why did I say that? Darn you InuYasha, you're a bad influence!! (Sorry I just had to put that in there...hahaha)' "Ahhh, uhhhhmmm, well, I, ahhh, well," she finally managed to stuttered out.  
  
Ayumi looked at her friend helplessly, "umm I may be out of line for saying this but, um, Kagome, you haven't been sick have you?"  
  
"......"  
  
"What have you been doing?"  
  
"......"  
  
"Kagome, are you ok? You don't look so good all of a sudden..."  
  
"Uhh, yea, I-I'm fine."  
  
Ayumi looked pitifully at her friend, "you know you can tell me I wont say anything to the other 2..."  
  
'That was Ayumi for you, she was the peacemaker, and she was understanding and she had been her best friend since they were like 4...should I tell her? Could I? Would she believe me? Would I be able to explain it semi clearly?' Kagome cuts off her thoughts with a deep sigh, "and if I'm not? What if I am and I'm in worse condition that you though...?" 'There that is a way to get an answer and not give myself away totally.'  
  
Ayumi looked at me in horror, "are you Kagome? Are you really that bad? If you are I swear I wont tell the girls and if you aren't even sick that I wont tell them either...I swear!"  
  
Kagome let out a sigh, "I'm sorry if I worried you but no I'm not sick, I never was, I have been seriously injured but not sick...well not the way my grandpa tells it anyway."  
  
"Well, that is somewhat of a relief, but what were you doing that your grandpa lied like that?"  
  
"I'm getting to that, be patient, but mind you it may take a good amount of time,"  
  
Ayumi just nodded, "go on...I've got the time..."  
  
"But I don't," I half mattered under my breath.  
  
Ayumi did not seem to notice my comment but sat there staring at me..."well?"  
  
I laughed at the anxiety in her voice "calm down, it isn't that big of a deal" 'ok that is the biggest understatement I have ever heard...or course it's a big deal!!! You have almost died, fought demons and are the reincarnation of a 50 year old dead priestess!!'  
  
"It is too a big deal, so start explaining or I will tell Yuka and Eri" she threatened, not meaning a word of it and Kagome knew that but I would hopefully get her talking.  
  
"Ok, Ok, sigh It all started on my 15th birthday, when I was pulled down the Bone Eaters Well by a centipede demon. There is where I met InuYasha for the first time...he was still sealed by Kikyo's arrow then and not awakened. He was pinned to a tree by a sacred arrow and had been that way for 50 years, then the villagers found me and brought me to Kikyo's older younger sister (now over 60) Kaede, I earned her trust and the centipede demon attacked the village, I ran into InuYasha's Forest and stumbled into him (he had awakened with the arrival of Kagome, awakened but not freed) he kept calling her Kikyo which pissed me off and then the centipede bit her and the Shikon no Tama fell out of her side, then I pinned to the tree with InuYasha and pulled the arrow from his chest, he was freed and killed the centipede demon in one swipe of his claws, he then went to kill me for the Jewel of Four Souls.(Shikon no Tama) it was then that Kaede threw the prayer beads on his neck, so every time I say sit, he dose a face plant into the ground."  
  
Ayumi explodes with laughter at this statement and Kagome smiles, "yea I know that is pretty funny, and useful too!" with this statement Ayumi broke into another fit of giggles. Kagome continues to explain about the past and her interesting encounters with demons of all kinds and species.  
  
When Kagome finishes with her speech Ayumi speaks up, "well no wonder your are still receiving an A history!" Kagome smiles at this and Ayumi continues, "so Kagome what do you think of InuYasha?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Come on Kagome don't play dumb..."  
  
"AYUMI!!! Not you too...!"  
  
"Noooo, not like that its just that you seem to conflicting about it and it may be good to say something..."  
  
"Well, normally me and Sango, the demon exterminator, go take a bath and talk, me about InuYasha and her about Miroku, buuuuuut since she isn't here..."  
  
"Yea..."  
  
"You seem all too anxious to know this, this isn't like you,"  
  
"Sorry, its just that it is Eri and Yuka..."  
  
"**NOOOOO!!!** I really don't wanna know with those too unless it involves me directly"  
  
"Good, I don't wanna explain it..."  
  
"Fine with me"  
  
"Ok, so what?  
  
"Well, you have heard me ramble about him at WacDonald's..."  
  
"**IT'S THE SAME GUY?!?!**"  
  
"Ouch! Don't yell, yea, he has definitely changed though, and I bet some of my odd statements fit now don't they?"  
  
"Yea they do, like when you told us he almost killed someone,"  
  
"That was Kouga, prince of the wolf demon tribe, apparently I'm 'his woman', but I don't go for that, and it is kindda funny to see InuYasha get jealous."  
  
"Ok would you just answer the question, you keep dancing around the point, state it would you!"  
  
"Ok, Ok, he can be the biggest egotistical jerk out there sometimes but he is warmhearted, and he will do anything to protect me...."  
  
"Go on..."  
  
"At first I hated him, absolutely hated...but now...I-I finally admitted that I loved him about a year ago...but the past few months we have grow quite a bit closer, we don't snap at each other near as much as we usually do and I havn't "sat" him that much this month..."  
  
"Soooo? Is this going anywhere?"  
  
"I-I don't know, that is part of the reason I invited him on our trip, one of the reasons, there are a LOT"  
  
Ayumi laughed, "I believe you don't flip here, I am not Eri and Yuka...the thought gives me shivers..."  
  
Kagome smiled, 'this is why I like working with Ayumi, she isn't nosy, she is a follower, so she follows Eri and Yuka, which isn't a good Idea to begin with...(I don't like hr nosy friends) unlike my other 2 friends Ayumi is kind and understanding... a bit slow at times but, still a great person to count on it you have a problem, and you can trust her not to tell anyone if you just wanted one person to know' "thanks Ayumi...you have NO idea how big of a deal that is."  
  
"Anytime Kagome, anytime, oh you keep telling me about this "jewel" can I see it?"  
  
Kagome bit her lip, she really didn't want to but she was helping her out sooooo "ok."  
  
"Yea great! What dose it look like?"  
  
"Well we only have some shards now but they are a soft lavender color," Kagome responds while pulling the Shikon shards off her neck, hidden by her t-shirt.  
  
"Wow that is pretty"  
  
"Yea...I guess, you don't think so after awhile,"  
  
"I guess your right"  
  
"Hey can I meet InuYasha?" Ayumi asked out of the blue,  
  
"**WHAT**" Kagome asked falling out of her chair.  
  
"Can I meet InuYasha?"  
  
"Well, I don't, I- I huh?"  
  
"Can I? Can I **PLEASE**?"  
  
"Ahhhh, well, uhhh, I don't know, I mean he is a **DEMON**."  
  
"So? The way you talk about him he is nice,"  
  
"Well, kind of, and I went though hell to get it that way you know!"  
  
"So can I?"  
  
Kagome sweatdrops, "uhh, maybe, I don't know if InuYasha is gonna be happy with me if do that..."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well he is uhhh, not that social, if you get what I mean..."  
  
"But if you are bringing him on the trip then wont he have to get used to it?"  
  
"Uhhh well yea I guess your right..."  
  
"Sooo dose that mean I can?"  
  
"Urg, maybe but you have to agree to a few things...and be aware of a few things as well..."  
  
"Ok, what!"  
  
"you are way to excited for this why do you want to meet him anyway?"  
  
"well, you have to promise not to tell Eri or Yuka"  
  
Kagome gave her a dead look, "I just told you I'm from feudal Japan pretty much...you think I'm going to risk people knowing about that and my best friends trust?..."  
  
"ok, ok, I was just testing anyways...well I kind of figured that you weren't sick, so my mind started to wonder what you were up to...I went back to when I was little and picked out some of the most ridiculous things ever that I thought that you might be doing, my first one was that you were a princess and you met this prince, "  
  
Kagome broke out laughing, "I know someone wasn't going to fall for it, I knew those ridiculous diseases would only last so long..."  
  
"Oh and one time you were a secret agent, a guienes working for some big corporation trying to take over the world, an expeditioner, and I think the closet I got to the real thing was that you were a worrier and went out to protect the world, kind of like a superhero,"  
  
Kagome was now in tears from laughing so hard, "wow you are still creative...I remember when we played those games when we were little,"  
  
"yea and we pretended we were really strong!"  
  
"That was so much fun!" Kagome added her mood brightening even more.  
  
"Anyway what do I need to know about InuYasha?"  
  
"Huh? Oh. Well number one, he has a temper, but don't be afraid of him, if he even thinks of trying something I'll "sit" him, and he has a slightly different appearance, he has fangs, claws...dog ears,"  
  
"Ohhhhhhhhh!!!! He has dog ears?!?!?! Awsome!!  
  
"I know they are so cute, anyway one word of warning, don't touch them,"  
  
"Ahhh, why?"  
  
"Trust me, he won't be happy, and at this point I'm trying to keep him in a good mood..."  
  
"Ok anything else?  
  
"Yea don't yell, he has a demonic sense of smell and hearing so it is easy to hurt his ears,"  
  
"Ok"  
  
"Oh and while we are on yelling, be expecting it when we get back to my house,"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why? Well I'll tell you why, I left InuYasha without telling him I was leaving, and I'm my time no less, so he'll yell at me ill yell back and it usually ends with me sitting him and sometimes I go home, but this argument will just end with a "sit", this is gonna be a minor one,'  
  
"How do you know? Wait, has he ever, ever..."  
  
"NO!! InuYasha would never hurt me, ever, he even goes out of his way to protect me, even if it is from himself."  
  
"Wow, sorry I thought he hit you or something..."  
  
"Nah, don't worry"  
  
"K, can we go?"  
  
"Ok," Kagome responded hesitantly.  
  
"Yea!!!!" Ayumi screamed as she hoped up and started to dance around.  
  
"Man, its scary how much your like Shippo, oh that goes on my list, you have to be calm or you'll drive InuYasha nuts...ill let you be weird later but for the first meeting act semi calm, I don't want to scare him into thinking that everyone in my time is like you."  
  
"Ok ill TRY to be calm,"  
  
Kagome shot her a glance before walking out of Ayumi's house, books in hand, heading to her house.  
  
Ayumi walked with Kagome to her house, chatting with her friend the whole time about different circumstances they had come across while they were in the absents of each other. When they finally reached the shrine Kagome was once again close to tears from how hard she was laughing, recalling the time InuYasha had gotten knocked out from the smell of the ink and blood, turned completely helpless from the stench.  
  
Kagome was expecting an infuriated hanyou to jump out of a nearby tree the minuet she set foot onto the shrine grounds, but it never happened. Kagome looked around curiously and her friend noticed, "What's wrong Kagome?"  
  
"Huh?" she responded not quite paying attention, "oh, nothing, I'm just surprised that I not getting yelled at right now."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because InuYasha would have smelt me, and waited for me,"  
  
"Whatever, I bet your mom kept him busy, that's why he isn't here to bug you,"  
  
"You have a point, ha InuYasha doing chores! Now that is a funny picture considering he doesn't know how anything works."  
  
"Really now that's funny,"  
  
"He has only been in this time about three times were he was actually here long enough to learn anything."  
  
"Oh, ok" was the last think Ayumi said before Kagome opened the door to her house.  
  
Announcing her arrival Kagome called, "Hey everyone I'm home..."

* * *

**AN:** Sorry I didn't reply to reviews last time, all I wanted to do then was get it up and that was it the story...it was what 3 weeks before I updated, how sad...so what did you think? I wrote it in a new style with the dialog and all, was wondering if you thought it was good bad indifferent? But hey whatever oh and like I said before, this trip is going to be real but I am adding some places I know of other than the ones I am going to visit in the story line, so if you have a city or monument that you think would be interesting to the plot line of story than please tell me, I would love to expand on my thinking and involve my readers in this fanfic, oh and thanks surfbratt, I thought it sounded awkward like that, but I had someone tell me that I didn't have enough labeled, thx! But the details, yea I have to that is just my style, I am very descriptive...well normally. I think I got a pretty unanimous vote about the plane thing, Inu gets to fly...fun fun, I fly a lot so it should be relatively accurate, but that wont be for a few more chapters so you will have to wait for that. Anyway thanks for all how wished me luck on my silver...I think I needed it...but now its over!!!! Yea but guess what I have another thing to do...plan my vacation, and no this is like a chore, we are working on logos for our family doing calculations on milage and all, half fun, half total boredom...anyway I promise to try to get chapter 7 up relitivley quickly but I have to get International Week over with so ill do my best, thanks for readin'...lol  
  
Lunar 


	7. Morning!

**Chapter 7**  
  
Kagome waited for an answer to her greeting...but none came. Now she started to worry, 'is anyone here? What happened here? This place is usually bustling with activity, and most of all were is InuYasha that he cant here me call?' "uhhhh, guys?!" Kagome called trying again for a response. Still nothing, 'great now what?' she thought as her eyes caught sight of a piece of paper on the kitchen table. Kagome looked over at Ayumi, "this is REALLY weird.... InuYasha of all people should be able to hear me...." She then walked over to the table and looked at the note,  
  
_Kagome,  
  
I had to go out to run some errands, sorry. But grandpa and Souta are both here, they are out cleaning the shrine, so if you need anything just ask them. I told Souta about InuYasha so if he needed to find you Souta could tell him that you were out. (Don't worry I didn't tell grandpa...)  
  
Mom  
_  
'Ok, that answers were my family is but I still don't know were the one I'm really worried about is...InuYasha...' "Alright, my mom is out and my grandfather and little brother are out back if you wanted to know...but I'm going to go look in my room to see If InuYasha left a note of any kind...I highly doubt it though..."  
  
Ayumi looked at her puzzled, "Why are you so worried? He can be controlled when you say "sit," cant he?"  
  
"Yea, but that's not the point..."  
  
"Then what is the point?"  
  
"It's......"  
  
"It's?....Ya gotta keep going Kagome..."  
  
sigh "I don't know....I guess I'm more worried about him than the civilians...he wouldn't hurt any human without a reason....he wouldn't hurt a demon without a reason...so I'm not really worried about that but he doesn't know anything about this time...he could get himself hurt or worse killed......"  
  
"You worry too much Kagome I'll bet that he is fine...he is probably in your room or out sitting in the God Tree so cool it...."  
  
"I guess your right...I should stop being so paranoid...but with InuYasha who knows..."  
  
Ayumi laughed at her friends comment, "whatever Kagome..."  
  
Kagome then started to walk up the stairs to her room with her friend in tow. Once at the top Kagome opens her door and peers in her room, she then closes the door as quickly and quietly as possible and runs down past Ayumi into the living room were they started. She then broke out laughing, she let herself fall on the couch laughing hysterically with a pillow over her face to muffle the noise.  
  
Ayumi had watched her friend open the door to her room, close it, run downstairs and laugh into a pillow.... "Ahh, Kagome, you ok?" she asked with genuine worry.  
  
Kagome removed the pillow from her face as Ayumi came over to the couch to see if she was really all right. "Yea, I'm fine...it's just...it's...hehehe" Kagome tried to reassure Ayumi but failed as she fell into another fit of giggles.  
  
About five minutes later when Kagome had calmed down again she told Ayumi to follow her. She led her friend up to the door. "Ok I want you to go the corner of the room in between my closet and desk and don't move from there or make a sound, got that?" she said kindly.  
  
Ayumi nodded, "of course, but why cant I make a sound?"  
  
"You'll see..." is the only think Kagome says as she opens the door to the room and creeps in. Ayumi slips in as Kagome closes the door wordlessly behind her.  
  
Ayumi then turns to face her friend, she is looking at her bed with an unfaltering smile on her face. Ayumi lets her eyes drift off to the place were Kagome is looking, there on her bed is a boy. Not just any boy either this is InuYasha, she watched the figure curiously, 'so this is the infamous InuYasha...' he seemed to be sleeping, he face had a blissful expression on it and a strand of his hair was lying across his face, giving him an innocent appearance. She then noticed his clothing...he was robed in a beautiful feudal aged hunting kimono, it was an excellent color of red and it fit him perfectly as he slept, draped loosely over his figure. This she caught what must have been hysterical to Kagome...there clutched in his arms was a large white fluffy dog. He had his arms wrapped protectively and gently around it as though afraid that he might hurt it.  
  
Ayumi let out a soft chuckle and looked at her best friend, Kagome was leaning on the wall for support. Ayumi was curious, "t funny Kagome but its not **THAT** funny..."  
  
Kagome wiped a tear from her eye, "It's just that...just, it's an inside joke.... You had to...oh never mind"  
  
Ayumi smiled at her friend's embarrassment, "no matter, I think its pretty funny just from what you've told me."  
  
Kagome them walked over to the bed and softly sat down next to the dozing InuYasha. She looked at his peaceful sleeping expression and then glanced at my friend who was watching me. I motioned for her to go and stand in the corner of the room, in between the closet door and her desk. Ayumi did as she was told and saw Kagome place her index finger in from on her lips silently telling Ayumi to be quiet as she watched.  
  
Kagome then turned her attention back to the hanyou, a small smile on her face. InuYasha's face twitches ever so slightly as I run my hand over his face pushing a lock of his silver hair back out of his face. He unconsciously leans into my touch as my fingers graze his skin, Kagome smiles. She then brings her hand up to his ears, she starts to rub then tenderly and after a moment a soft purr could be heard coming from deep in InuYasha's chest.  
  
Kagome smiles at InuYasha's reaction, and Ayumi's jaw drops when she hears the purr, once it penetrates her head and she can do more than just stare, she clamps her hand over her mouth to muffle the laughter that threatened to emerge from her lungs. Once she finally gained control of herself again she look at Kagome, she still had tears in her eyes from silently laughing so hard, but was in an uplifting mood. "Oh...my gosh...I...didn't know...that he...**PURRED**!!!" she said softly so not to wake up said hanyou.  
  
"I know...isn't it great?"  
  
"That's so funny...hey wait a minuet, I thought InuYasha was a dog....so why dose he purr? Don't cats purr?" the curious girl questioned  
  
"I know, it is weird...I never asked him that, but I did only find out last night that he purred..." mentioned Kagome, still massaging InuYasha's soft white ears.  
  
"Why did you do last night to make him purr?..." Ayumi immediately regretted the question...it was a little personal...but to her surprise Kagome didn't blush and splutter, she answered clearly.  
  
"Same thing as I am doing now" she says with a very content smile  
  
By now InuYasha had leaned his head into Kagome's hand as she rubbed his ears, Kagome thought he was waking up and faced him. But she let her smile grow and had to surpress a laugh when she realized her was still asleep. 'Wow, I can't believe he is still asleep...' with that InuYasha started to stir.  
  
_Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr_ 'someone's purring...wow my ears feel good...**HEY**! That's me purring!!! And what the heck am I holding? It doesn't smell quite like Kagome...hey...**KAGOME!!!**' InuYasha mentally pieces together as he groggily wakes himself up. Kagome stops petting his ears when she notices his eyes start to open. 'Oh so now you stop...you think I don't notice...ah? And I wanna know what you stuck in my arms, so your not gettin out of trouble...Nice try Kagome....' InuYasha's eyes blink open and he scowls at Kagome.  
  
"What" she asks innocently  
  
"**WHAT**?! What do you mean what?! You know perfectly well 'what'!"  
  
Kagome smiles sheepishly and responds, "ah-no I don't..."  
  
InuYasha glares at Kagome, "your horrible at lying Kagome...so you shouldn't even try."  
  
"Hey, I'm not bad at lying!"  
  
InuYasha rolls his eyes, "yes you are, number one I was awake when you were petting my ears and I have a thing in my lap that wasn't there before...." he says straightforwardly.  
  
This time it was Kagome's turn to glare, "jerk, you don't have to be so mean, so I cant lie that isn't a bad thing, and so what if I was petting your ears? I know you like it! And everyone like Paws how can you not? With is cute dog ears just like yours"  
  
"I'm just telling you so you don't try it later and get caught in am embarrassing situation that you make worse by trying to lie. Plus I do **NOT** have **CUTE** ears!"  
  
"I dint hear anything about you like your ears getting petted" Kagome answers smartly.  
  
"Feh" was all InuYasha responded at first and then glared at her, "hey don't even try to distract me! I ain't gonna work! I'm still mad at you!"  
  
"Damn" Kagome hisses under her breath but InuYasha hears anyway and falls over laughing. "What's so funny?!" she yells getting angry with him and his 'attitude'.  
  
"Y-you just...Ha ha ha" he was in shock that Kagome had cursed, 'I'm a bad influence...I wonder what her mom would think...mentally cringes if she pulls that in front of her mom I'm a dead man...(well dog technically...kind of)" InuYasha had now forgotten about the whole purring incident because of Kagome's unconscious choice of words.  
  
"Will you quite it already?!" Kagome yells at InuYasha because he is still laughing at her.  
  
InuYasha suddenly stops laughing and stiffens...'that scent...that's not Kagome's or one of a lingering family member...Crap!' InuYasha finally spots Ayumi, his eyes widenand he blushes from what had just gone on between him and Kagome, 'H-how did I not smell her?! Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could I not catch onto that?!'  
  
Ayumi looked almost fearful now that InuYasha had spotted her, she gave a look to Kagome and she found her friend suppressing another round of laughter. He was shocked, why was she laughing?  
  
InuYasha started to growl-but was cut short  
  
"InuYasha! Be nice that's my best friend you're threatening!"  
  
InuYasha stopped growling for a moment and looked to Kagome, not a good thing, she was still smiling because of the fact that InuYasha had overlooked Ayumi's scent for so long, no one had ever done that for very long before.  
  
"Ok this is Ayumi, my best friend, InuYasha. This is InuYasha, my favorite hanyou, Ayumi." Kagome introduced both of her friends.  
  
Ayumi being the friendly one walked over to InuYasha and bows respectively, "Hi InuYasha, a pleasure to meet you"  
  
InuYasha is surprised by this greeting, 'why so formal?...Feh' "hi," he responds as he stares at her. Then he realizes he is still holding Paws. He blushes again and shoves the dog into Kagome's lap causing both girls to laugh, InuYasha growls.  
  
"InuYasha, be nice!" Kagome cuts off his growling.  
  
"Why you're the ones laughing at me!"  
  
'Darn he has a point!' "Feh," was all Kagome could think of.  
  
InuYasha's jaw dropped, 'did she just say what I think she said?! WOW, I really AM a bad influence. Heh'  
  
Kagome looked over to InuYasha from Ayumi, who was just standing there now watching have their 'argument'. Her eyes widened as she realized what she said, 'That's twice now, why do I keep saying stuff like that?'  
  
She then saw InuYasha's smirk, "I win," he taunts.  
  
"You win? How do you win?" she challenges  
  
"You couldn't say anything, so I won" he states.  
  
"Well, you didn't respond when I said that you liked your ears scratched!"  
  
"I-"'crap now what do I say?!' "I-I-I"  
  
"Ha!" Kagome cries triumphantly  
  
"Feh"  
  
ding  
  
"Lunch is ready!" Kagome announces.  
  
InuYasha's spirits rise incredible at the mention of food and he races down the stairs with other 2 human girls, all looking forward to a good lunch.  
  
Lunch was quiet, no one spoke, InuYasha didn't even slurp his noodles...lets just say the silence was unbearable. InuYasha was hungry and he did not feel comfortable in from of this strange human girl that was Kagome's friend. Kagome did not want to start another argument and actually get upset this time. Ayumi was still cautious of InuYasha, he was half- demon...even though Kagome told her not to worry it was still awkward, no the less.  
  
"So Kagome why are we having Ramen?" Ayumi questioned to break the uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Well its convenient and easy plus InuYasha cant get enough of it..." she answers  
  
"Wow, the strong hanyou love Ramen? That's different-"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"InuYasha! Be nice!"  
  
"Tell your friend to watch her mouth"  
  
"Jez InuYasha, what is your problem?"  
  
"Nothing!" his eyes went to the floor then to the window, "I just smell something, so leave me alone"  
  
Kagome was completely shocked at this, "you Ok InuYasha? Usually if you smell something that bothers you, you just go take care of it..."  
  
"No, I'm not ok but ill deal with it when it comes" he growled  
  
"..."  
  
InuYasha glanced at Ayumi and then this was better left unsaid for the moment, "I doesn't matter"  
  
Kagome was about to argue but stopped at the look in his eyes.  
  
Now it was a VERY uncomfortable silence, and again it was Ayumi who spoke, "so Kagome do you wanna go to the Mall? InuYasha is welcome to come too"  
  
Kagome looks at InuYasha, he rolls his eyes, "fine, what ever wench." He responded to her silent question.  
  
"Yea, sure we'll go, I need to get some clothes for InuYasha anyway" she says smiling as every went into the Kitchen again and placed their stuff in the sink.  
  
"Onto the Mall" yelled the girls and InuYasha let out a moan, regretting his decision already. 


	8. The Mall

I am so sorry it has just been...chaotic...the end of school stuff and my mom is sick...and on top of that I have god knows how many other things..._sigh_ I cant wait till summer....then again I may be more busy then...there's no end is there?...oh well I'll have plenty of time to type up chapters while on our road trip..._shutters_ 10 hours in a van about everyday for over 3 weeks..._whimpers_ oh well...ill get over it...anyway sorry and onto the story!!

* * *

**Chapter 8  
**  
Kagome smiles and pushes InuYasha up the stairs "ok, I laid some clothes on the bed for you, they're my dad's but I think that they'll fit fine" InuYasha was about to repute but Kagome pushed him into her room and shut the door.  
  
'Whatever...ok, what are these clothes she wants me to wear...' InuYasha looked over to the bed, there was a casual button up shirt and a pair on nice jeans. He eyed them suspiciously then smirked rolling his eyes, 'now this is just like Kagome...'  
  
Kagome looked to her friend, "so how are we getting around?"  
  
Ayumi gave Kagome a look, "hey just because you don't have your license doesn't mean I don't..." (ok we are all pretending that you can get your license at 16...I don't know if that applies in Japan...but hey whatever...)  
  
"...Oh...well I guess that is a good thing...come to think of it, I haven't even been around long enough to get it..."  
  
Ayumi rolls her eyes, "anyway, how long are you sticking around for before you leave?"  
  
"About a week...more or less"  
  
"Good, this way you can get a descent head start on you studies..."  
  
"Yea thanks, I owe you big..."  
  
"Naaa, it's no big deal, besides you could use a break..."  
  
"You're not kidding" Kagome responds with a laugh  
  
Just then InuYasha comes waking down the stairs, he is in the clothes that Kagome left out for him, and they are on properly. Kagome grins, "you look good InuYasha"  
  
InuYasha shots a glare her way, but failed to stay upset with her, and ends up rolling his eyes.  
  
Unfortunately for InuYasha Kagome sees and starts to laugh, Ayumi looks at her weird but Kagome just waves it off. Once she regains herself she smiled, "lets go!"  
  
All 3 of them walked out to the car and got in, Ayumi driving and the other 2 in the back. When the car first started it startled InuYasha but after a bit of confirmation that it wasn't a demon from Kagome he relaxed and they drove to the mall. All the buildings and advertisements from this time fascinated InuYasha and he just about spent about the whole drive there listening to Kagome tell him some rules with his face plastered to the window.  
  
Once they got to their destination InuYasha was in awe, he transfixed by all the bright colors of the signs and the lights used to attract attention. He was also curious about the music. Kagome was entertained by InuYasha's enthusiasm and game him a brief description as they walked up.  
  
Ayumi knew were they were going and led them right to the place, one inside they headed for the **MENS** section. InuYasha was curiously looking around at all the different types of clothes that they had on display.  
  
When Kagome saw his amazement she let out a soft laugh, "come on InuYasha"  
  
InuYasha snapped back to reality and started walking next to Kagome as they entered the mens area. Ayumi turned around to face them, "ok we are only looking for casual, right?"  
  
"Yea"  
  
"Ok, great, what do you thing he'd like to wear?"  
  
"Something loose, baggy, and red is a good color"  
  
Ayumi laughed, "Alright, lets get looking..."  
  
The three of them set off looking through the racks, shelves and piles. After 15 minuets the 2 girls had some decent outfit ideas. They gave him the clothes and sent him into the dressing room telling him to come out if he thought if something fit.  
  
InuYasha let out a sigh as he closed the stall door, then he hung up the clothes on the hook on the wall. First he tried on one of the pair of pants. They fit, they were baggy, loose and comfortable. (And can you believe this? they are at his waist...not sagging past his butt, for all you southern Californians who know what I'm talking about ) 'Wow these are actually comfortable," he smiled and tried on one of the shirts, it was black, and thin, and to small...the second one was deep red and he was pretty much swimming in it...literarily. InuYasha laughed lightly and pulled on the last red one...this one actually fit the way he wanted; it was loose but not too big. InuYasha reluctantly opened the door and walked out to the duo.  
  
Kagome and Ayumi were both talking when InuYasha came out, Kagome heard the squeak of a door and turned her head to see InuYasha, he looked great.  
  
Kagome smiled and nudged Ayumi, who looked over and her jaw dropped, 'wow, he looks good...' Kagome saw her friend's expression and started to laugh.  
  
InuYasha looked confused and finally spoke up, "what?"  
  
Ayumi looked up and apologized, "I'm sorry, I-I dint meant to be rude-"  
  
Then Kagome cut her off, "it's fine InuYasha, it looks good...do you like it?"  
  
InuYasha nodes his head, "yea, I thought that your times clothes would be uncomfortable but they are actually nice"  
  
Kagome smiles, "good then that makes this easy...now you can go change back and we'll pick out a few that you like."  
  
InuYasha nodded again and turned to go, Kagome and her friend went back to talking and InuYasha changed back into his (Kagome's father's) clothes.  
  
Once he emerged again they returned the non-fitting clothes and went to go look for other shirts that were the same size.  
  
After about a half hour they had a decent number of outfits, they had 3 solid red shirts, two deep red and one red, 2 pair of baggy cargo jeans, 1 solid black shirt, 2 red Volcome shirts, 1 black Volcome shirt and 2 solid dark red sweatshirts. Kagome then went to pay for everything, and they all left the store.  
  
InuYasha carried the bags and he followed the two girls who were currently laughing together at something Kagome had said, he hadn't been paying close enough attention to know what she had said but he did pick up something about jellybeans. He then continues to watch the girls strangely.  
  
The two females stopped laughing and Kagome turned and looked at InuYasha, "you can come up here and talk with us ya know..."  
  
InuYasha looked surprised but stepped up with them, listening to then discus whatever they were at the moment; "oh by the way InuYasha, we're going by the sweet shop before we leave."  
  
InuYasha looks at her curiously and then asked, "what's the "sweet shop"?"  
  
Kagome smiles at him, "it's a candy store, Souta will love it if we bring him home some candy...just like Shippo"  
  
InuYasha smiles at the analogy, Shippo did like it when Kagome brought him back some candy.  
  
Kagome smiled again as they approach the store, she then turns to InuYasha, ill give you a bag, you can fill it up with whatever you want...k?"  
  
InuYasha nods and follows Kagome into the colorful, strange smelling, place. She then gives him a bag and goes off as well to pick out her candy. InuYasha walks over to one of the walls lined with candy and looks around sniffing lightly, there were so many different kind he looked at some and then just decided to get some of whatever until his bag was full so he walked along the walls looking for different sweets.  
  
Everything was going smoothly until Kagome head a pair of voices, 'oh no, please tell me that's not who I think it is...' Kagome turned around and groaned, 'great now what?...This is not what I need right now...I have to find InuYasha to get out of here for the time being...and I have to do it inconspicuously...' Kagome slowly shifted over to next to InuYasha, "hey, InuYasha, I have a need your help...could you do me a favor? I need you to go stand by the fountain and wait for me to come and get you..."  
  
InuYasha gave her a strange look, but then nodded, "is everything alright?"  
  
"Yea, its fine...I just have to get rid of some people real quick...not kill them just get them to leave..."  
  
InuYasha rolled his eyes, "I'm not that dense, I've figured out that killing in your time is a big deal...and in a bad way..."  
  
Kagome nodded, "thanks, here I'll hold your bag for you, you can finish filling it once I lose those two."  
  
InuYasha handed her the bag and slinked away and over the fountain that was outside the store.  
  
InuYasha had snuck away just in time, for the next minute her other two friends had spotted her. "Hey! Kagome!"  
  
Kagome put a face smile on and turned around, "hey guys..."  
  
"Wow, we never thought we would run into you here..."  
  
"Yea, your grandpa told me you were sick again..."  
  
"Eri, Yuka, I'm fine, I promise..."  
  
Ayumi noticed her other two friends and knew it was trouble...the next time she looked over they were on top of Kagome...'crap...better go save her'  
  
"She's fine...we were studying and decided to come over her afterwards to relax" Ayumi interjected, saving Kagome a long and 'make up as you go' excuse.  
  
Kagome looked to her friend like she was and angle and mouthed 'Thank you soooo much...' Ayumi rolled her eye and silently told her that is was no big deal.  
  
"Hey wait, how come you didn't call us to come with you two?"  
  
"Uhhhh, we decided to come spur of the moment...uhhh yea..."  
  
"You still could of called"  
  
"Sorry, we'll try to remember for next time..."  
  
"So are you guys doing anything later today?"  
  
"Yes!" Kagome answered a little to quickly, 'shit! I'm in so much trouble I cant have them come around with us...shot...wait...'  
  
"oh, what are you doing?"  
  
"I have to watch Souta for my mom cause she is gonna be out and we all know we cant leave my brother alone with my grandfather to long..."  
  
"Heh, your right Kagome, we have to finish getting him some candy and then we're going home. Besides I have some things I have to do for my mom..."  
  
"Awh, we wanted you to come with us...oh well we'll see you later Kagome, we aren't finished shopping yet." With that they walked off.  
  
Kagome and Ayumi both let out a deep breath, "that was close, I better go get InuYasha, once we finish with our candy we can leave,"  
  
"Right"  
  
Kagome then walked to the edge of the store and motioned for InuYasha to come back over since the coast was clear.  
  
What she didn't know was that her friends did not leave but hid to watch what she would do. They saw her come to the edge of the store and motion to someone, then a white haired guy comes over to her, Kagome smiles him and says something the guy rolls his eyes and smirks but it is quickly replaced by a look of surprise when Kagome grabs his wrist as pulls him back into the crowded store.  
  
Yuka turns to Eri, "do you think that is the "violent, mean, possessive" boyfriend?"  
  
Eri shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, but I highly doubt that he would have been so agreeing when Kagome dragged him off, if it had been him, she told us he had to have his way..."  
  
"Gotta point"  
  
"But, we should figure out who this guy is..."  
  
"Yea"  
  
InuYasha had just about filled his bag; he was finishing it off with watermelon slices. Kagome then took all the bags and paid for them.  
  
Once they were outside InuYasha popped a slice in his mouth, "wow, this is really good Kagome..."  
  
Kagome laughed, "Of coarse it is, why do you think Shippo likes it so much?"  
  
"I don't know? That kit is very strange sometimes..."  
  
Kagome just laughs, "I wonder who he takes after"  
  
"Hey!" InuYasha says defensively  
  
"You asked for it..."  
  
"Huh? How did I ask for it?"  
  
"You started it..."  
  
"What?! I started it? Are you **crazy**?"  
  
"No but..." Kagome starts back but is cut off by Ayumi who just couldn't take it any more, she just exploded laughing.  
  
The couple looked over to the teenage girl curiously, "What's to funny Ayumi?"  
  
She had tears coming down her face from laughing so hard and was starting to hyperventilate but started to calm down, "y-you two are just s-sooo funny...."  
  
The pair looked at each other, "What?" they recited in unison.  
  
"You fight like my cousin and her boyfriend...my whole family calls them "lover's quarrels"  
  
Kagome sweatdrops, "please don't say that in front of my mother"  
  
InuYasha just gave Kagome a look and Kagome laughed, "you do realize you look like a puppy when you do that..."  
  
"W-what? I do not!"  
  
"Do to"  
  
"Do not"  
  
"Do **_to_**"  
  
"Do **_not_**"  
  
"Do **_to_**"  
  
"Why are you two arguing?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
"Arg, InuYasha"  
  
"I'm just kidding...'  
  
"Hey"  
  
They all started laughing as they approached the vehicle. Every one of them was in a very good mood from messing around. InuYasha threw the shopping bags in the trunk, then jumped the back seat next to Kagome. Ayumi started the car and began to drive home.  
  
Once there the two of them got out of the back seat and thanked Ayumi for the ride and for helping InuYasha pick out his attire. Ayumi said it was fun and that before Kagome leaves they should go again. All three of them agreed. InuYasha had though that it was interesting to check out all these new places.  
  
"Thanks Ayumi, I'll see you tomorrow morning, I need a lot of help with geometry..."  
  
"No problem, and even if I couldn't help my mom is a math wiz, she would figure it out..."  
  
"Thanks again"  
  
"K, I'll see you later"  
  
Kagome turned to InuYasha, 'com on lets go inside, It is getting late out and I'll bet you anything that my brother will be ecstatic to see you, especially with candy..."  
  
InuYasha smiled and followed Kagome closely inside.

* * *

**YEA**! _End of chapter_....god what did that take...5 weeks...ouch...anyway I have been meaning to answer some of your reviews but I haven't gotten to it...so I have a few I have really wanted to respond to that are really old  
  
Yes this WILL be a real trip...I (My family and I, dad to be exact on who is actually driving...lol) am driving from southern California to Michigan this summer, but I do want them to visit places I remember on the east coast...mostly New York cause that Is were I lived, but I am going to ask my other cousins who live about 20 minuets away from me what D.C. was like and all...all these places should be accurate tourist wise...except California...where I live so it probably wont be as touristy...  
  
K, gotta go...it's 5:27 am and I have to get up in...1...2...3...and a half hours...yea...thanks for reading I hope that you enjoyed it...as you can probably tell I don't go shopping much...I hate it to tell you the truth...but that's ok...I promise to get the next chapter up quick...before graduation...then once summer rolls around I will have a lot of...scratch that, MORE time than I do now to work on this....thanks again, I hope you liked it... 


	9. Tickle Tag!

**Chapter 9**  
  
**A/N**: Gomen Nasai!!!!! It took me forever to get 'Word' back...I almost died not being able to update...but I am busy so I didn't have time to pout over it...this trip is taking all my time...so I am going to hurry thought this chapter...gomen, it may be sloppy...but at least it will be up...-.-' lol, hehe anyway enjoy!!! The much awaited chapter nine!!!  
  
The couple walked into the house, well kind of...Kagome got 2 feet in the door and Souta leaped onto her, clutching her leg as if his life depended on it." Where have you been sis?"  
  
"Didn't you see the note?"  
  
"Hai, but why did you go without me?"  
  
"You weren't here silly!"  
  
"But I wanted to go with InuYasha!"  
  
"Well if you behave then you can go with us next time..." she looked over to InuYasha for a second to see how he reacted to this comment. He was rolling his eyes at her brother and had a smirk on his face. Kagome sighed, 'that's InuYasha for you,'  
  
"Uh Kagome, where do you want this stuff?"  
  
"Oh, just put it up in my room, Souta you have to get off now" her brother reluctantly detached himself from his Neesan's leg.  
  
"You promise I can go with you and Inu-Niisan!"  
  
"Hai, now go help mom with dinner"  
  
"Hai, arigato Kagome!" answered Souta as he ran off to help his Okaasan.  
  
InuYasha started to walk up the stairs with Kagome following closely, once the hanyou reached the top of the flight of stairs he turned to walk into Kagome's room. Once inside he tossed the bags of clothes nonchalantly beside the bed as he drop himself heavily down on top of it. Kagome rolled her eyes in a friendly manner at her dog demon counterpart who in turn raised his eyebrows at her questioningly. "what?"  
  
"Nothing...mmmmm smells like dinner is ready, care to join me?"  
  
InuYasha smirked at her, "what do you think?"  
  
Kagome let out a small laugh at her friend, "boy did I see that coming."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And nothing, I'm hungry, lets go."  
  
InuYasha immediately jumps up and bolts out the door. "hey wait up" cries Kagome from behind him.  
  
Kagome walks in to find her mom just finish putting the last plate of food out, "oh good Kagome can you go get your Ojiisan?"  
  
"Hai, I'll be right back Okaasan" she then turns and runs over to her grandfather's room knocking politely. "Ojiisan, dinner is ready."  
  
"Alright, Kagome, tell you mother ill be right out."  
  
"Hai" she responds and then walks back into the kitchen, when she gets there she sees InuYasha bring a pitcher to the table for her mother. She smiles at him, "arigato InuYasha,"  
  
InuYasha starts, "Kagome!"  
  
Kagome giggled lightly, "I was only thanking you for helping out..."  
  
"Do Itashimashite"  
  
"Are you two gonna sit down and eat?" Kagome's Otoutosan asked.  
  
"Hai" they both replied sitting down.  
  
They had just started to fill their plates when Kagome's grandfather walked in, he was pretending that nothing was bothering him but he glared at the hanyou out of the corner of his eye. Said hanyou caught it and started to growl very lowly. Only Kagome had been around InuYasha long enough to know that he was growling, she could hear him...no matter how low he growled, she could hear. Once she noticed she lightly elbowed him in the ribs and gave him a scolding look. InuYasha glared at her for a second then went back to his food.  
  
The rest of the meal went rather smoothly, Souta talked the whole time, leaving very little time for Kagome to fill with what she did that day...but she was grateful of that so it didn't bother her. Her mother and grandfather talked a bit about what they would be seeing and where they were going...during this time InuYasha pretended to be preoccupied but was listening to every word the family was saying,  
  
"Oh, by teh way Kagome we are probably extending our vacation time...it may be a bit longer than a month..."  
  
"What..."  
  
"Well there is just so much to see that we figured we would take a few extra days to see things..."  
  
"Well I guess that is ok...but I don't know how InuYasha is gonna take that..."  
  
"Ha let him go back..."  
  
"GRANDPA!!!" both women yelled at the same time.  
  
"I wasn't serious" he adds sweatdroping.  
  
"Good"  
  
"Oh, by the way Kagome, Souta ands I are going to go out shopping a bit since it is still early,"  
  
"Alright mom"  
  
"But I still want you to get ready for bed...you have to get up to study in the morning."  
  
"Don't worry mom, I usually get up earlier in the Feudal Era anyway..."  
  
"Alright, I just want to make sure you get enough sleep...I'm you mother I'm allowed to worry its my job..."  
  
"I know mom arigato for caring."  
  
"Do Itashimashite"  
  
"Now wash you plate off and get ready for bed, "  
  
"K Okaasan, come on InuYasha we have to get ready for bed"  
  
Grumbling InuYasha follows his human friend upstairs. From the top of the stairs they heard Kagome's mother call, "I'll see you all later"  
  
InuYasha sighed as he walked into Kagome's room, one inside a large t-shirt and a pair of long lounge pants were thrown at him. "Hey!" he yelped  
  
"Nani?" Kagome asked innocently a very InuYasha like smirk on her face.  
  
InuYasha was startled to see that look on her face, 'well lets see if she still has that smirk on her face after I'm done with her'  
  
"K InuYasha, ill be right back, change into your pajamas."  
  
InuYasha nods, "yea whatever"  
  
Kagome rolls her eyes and walks into the bathroom.  
  
InuYasha changes into his nightwear smirking, 'lets see how you react to this Kagome'  
  
Kagome walked over to her door a short time later rapping quietly on it. "InuYasha can I come in?"  
  
"Why not?" was the only response Kagome got, so she went ahead and opened her door, expecting to see InuYasha ether sitting on her bed or on the floor. Except for the fact that her was nowhere to be found.  
  
She looked all over her room for him, the closet, under her bed, behind her desk...everywhere...but he was nowhere to be found. Kagome then got an idea, 'what if he ran out when I opened the door.' She them turned around and was about to walk out the door when she heard a soft thud, she turned around and there was InuYasha, smirking widely, and a glint in his eyes. 'Crap' she thought as her eyes widened, she then yelped and turned to run down the stairs.  
  
InuYasha wasn't gonna let her off that easily, "I don't think so Kagome" he taunts as he tailgates her down the steps. At the foot of the stairs Kagome makes a quick turn to the left and bolts for the back door...too bad she never even got close. At the foot of the stairs InuYasha grabbed her, picking her up off the ground.  
  
Kagome yelped, "Awww, what are you doing?! InuYasha!?"  
  
"Be quiet, you don't want to alarm the old man"  
  
"Oh grandpa? He is on the other side of the house...in his room" Kagome responded as she tried ineffectively to wiggle out of InuYasha's grasp.  
  
"InuYasha!!" she yelled after she found she couldn't get away from the hanyou.  
  
InuYasha just smirked as he tossed Kagome onto the couch, "what?" he said in a voice that didn't sound like his own. Kagome's eyes widened as she looked up at InuYasha, she then closed her eyes tight and bit her bottom lip. InuYasha brought his hands down to her exposed stomach and ran his claws across it, Kagome's mouth turned upward into smile but then she started biting harder onto her lip.  
  
'No, no, no, I wont...' Kagome finally gave up and burst out laughing from InuYasha tickling her, she curled up into a ball trying to protect her stomach from InuYasha's hands, but to no avail, he kept on tickling her. Kagome started to twist and turn trying to get away but the half demon was not to be shaken easily. Kagome was starting to run out of air about now because she couldn't breath due to InuYasha's ever ending 'torture'. InuYasha noticed her lack of air and stopped to let her breath.  
  
Kagome lay there panting for a bit then she glared at the half demon, "what was that for?!"  
  
"No reason," he responded with that same smirk.  
  
Kagome decided it was smart to run, she quickly rolled over and took off, InuYasha noticed and took off after her.  
  
Kagome took a sudden, and very sharp turn around the table, lucky for her InuYasha had leapt at her that second so he could change direction. Kagome ran to the side of the table farthest from the hanyou.  
  
InuYasha stood up from his crouching position that his jump had forced him into since Kagome had moved. He walked over to the opposite side of the table as Kagome, "Tag..."  
  
Kagome blinked in surprise, 'tag?!? What did he mean by that?' her expression changed to confused as she thought, then her eyes widened in realization. 'He is talking about the game I taught him...a few months ago when he was here, Souta and I were playing tickle tag...he must've caught on...wait there is something wrong with this picture...InuYasha playing tag?'  
  
InuYasha turn to take off, Kagome scrambled around the table as fast as she could to she could get him before he took off, but it was too late, he was gone. "Darn, I'm never gonna catch him..." 'Wait, if he wants to play tag he is going to stay in relatively close so I can chase him...' Kagome smiles and starts after him, pretending to try and sneak up on him.  
  
InuYasha started to sneak up behind the unsuspecting human, 'got you now Kagome' he then his foot caught on a toy Souta had left on the floor and he stumbled, Kagome heard him and started to turn. 'Crap!' he cursed, and turned to run, but before he was able to disappear Kagome said the 'word,' "sit." As soon as she said that, the hanyou who was currently trying to escape kissed the floor.  
  
While the subduing spell held the stubborn dog-demon the floor Kagome ran up and crouched down beside him. Once she lowered herself the spell wore off, "why the hell did you do that wench?!"  
  
Kagome just smiled sweetly in spite of his rude comment, "well you get to use your demonic speed, so I get to use my resources as well..."  
  
InuYasha growled, "bitch"  
  
Kagome ignored his remark and started to try to tick his stomach, "your it"  
  
"no I'm not" he answered with a grin, "I haven't laughed yet...the person you 'tag' has to laugh to become 'it'"  
  
Kagome glared, "hey that isn't fair, ok how about this the other player has to yield to the other player to become it..." she finished with a very InuYasha like smirk.  
  
"You think I am going to yield to you women?"  
  
"Unless you want to be 8 feet under from all the s-i-t-s that you get"  
  
InuYasha growled "wench, fine I yield," he then smirked very widely, "and now I'm 'it'"  
  
Kagome's eyes widened in realization, 'Crap! What did I do? Now he is gonna torture me till I die" she took off as fast as she could.  
  
InuYasha just calmly sat there and counted to ten, then he took off after Kagome. At the moment she was running thought the living room, in an instant the hanyou was in front of her.  
  
She yelped in surprise and stumbled back "I-InuYasha" she managed to squeak out.  
  
"Hai..." he as he tossed Kagome on the couch again and started to tickled her.  
  
After about five minuets he stopped, "do you yield?" he asked a triumphant smirk on his face.  
  
Kagome was about to just give up when she got an idea..."ye-NOOO!!!" she then took off up the stairs as the hanyou clutched his sensitive ears.  
  
Kagome got in her room ad figured out she had nowhere to go, she turned around but found InuYasha already in the doorway with a glint in his eyes  
  
Kagome backed up into her wall; this only made InuYasha as he slowly advanced on her,  
  
'What to do, what to do?!?!?! Wait, I could sit him and run downstairs to give myself a little bit better chance of evading him...' she never got to finish her thought because InuYasha was already in front of her..."eep" was the last thing out of Kagome's mouth before she was thrown onto her bed. InuYasha stood beside the sleeping stand and relentlessly tickled her. Kagome started to fight back some now instead of just rolling into a ball, she started to wiggle and squirm out of his grasp, her feet started to flail and kick at the air and she never stayed in the same position for more than 2 seconds. InuYasha finally gave her a break to breath since she was turning blue in the face.  
  
"Do you yield?"  
  
Kagome looked him straight in the eyes...then tried to sit up and run off. InuYasha wouldn't have it, she was not getting away...he jumped up onto the bad and straddled her waist.  
  
Kagome's eyes widened as she tried to protest, but was quieted when he started to tickle her again.  
  
As Kagome tries to get away she kicks, slaps, wiggles, pushes, and protest but nothing even gets a reaction from InuYasha. She wanted to sit him but since she was under him that would not de that smart of thing to do unless she wanted to get squished. He dose not let up, just keeps on torturing, Kagome as she turn blue in the face for the 3rd time. InuYasha stopped again to let his victim catch her breath, while her breathing rate was dropping back to its normal rate he leaned very close to her face. Kagome turned to face him, surprised  
  
"Do you yield now?"  
  
Kagome made a pouty face, "ye-No!" she then thrust her body th the left knocking them both off the bed, dragging a thin blanket with them.  
  
"Wah?!" InuYasha yelped in surprise, he also held Kagome to break the fall for her, he landed on his back anyway so it was not an issue, "urg..."  
  
"Uh...sorry InuYasha" she replied as she tried to sit up...but should couldn't, InuYasha was holding her fast and by the look on his face he wasn't letting go anytime soon  
  
"InuYasha! Let me go!!" he laughed.  
  
"Why?" he said in a tone Kagome had never head before, it was relaxed, calm, childish...like he was a kid having fun.  
  
Kagome smiled, "cause I want to go you lunatic!!!"  
  
"So now I'm a lunatic ah?"  
  
'There is that tone again...I wonder why he is letting himself be so exposed?...well I better enjoy it lasts' "cause ill sit you if you don't..." but Kagome knew she wouldn't, number one InuYasha flips over when he gets sat...in turn squishing her...and why sit him over something THIS petty...  
  
InuYasha was holding Kagome so her back was up against his torso and he had her arms pinned to her sides. He leaned up to her ear "what fun would that be if I just LET you go"  
  
Kagome opened her mouth to retaliate but she couldn't think of anything to say, she just lied there.  
  
"That's what I thought" InuYasha smirked as he released her arms and started to tickle her again, she rolled off of the hanyou and onto her floor, after a moment she saw an opening...she could get away...she took it ands tore off downstairs.  
  
Kagome stumbled on the carpet at the bottom and InuYasha pounces on her sufficiently pinning her again. Just then Mrs. H walks in with Souta.  
  
They walk into the family room to find the couple on the living room floor laughing and messing around; Kagome had finally given up and now she was after her hanyou friend, who she managed to jump on before he could take off.  
  
"hm hm!" Kagome mother 'Politely' interrupts the pair look up both blushing crimson now. Mrs. H smiles at the teens, then puts on a faux frown, "now aren't you two supposed to be asleep?"  
  
"Ahhhh" was all either of them could come up with.  
  
"Good now up to your room you both have to get up in the morning!"  
  
Both the human and the hanyou walked up the stairs and into Kagome's pink room, Kagome fixed the bed with a blush still very apparent on her cheeks. She then yawned and InuYasha walked over to her, "you want to sleep in my bed InuYasha?"  
  
"Nani?" he asked taken aback by the question  
  
"Well I want to sleep in my bed tonight and...and I ....I can't...ican'tseemtobeabletofallasleepwithoutyouaround." She added really fast and really softy...unfortunately (or fortunately, depends how you look at it) he heard it.  
  
With an ever-deepening blush on his face he answered, "uh, uh y-yea"  
  
"Ok" Kagome replies in her normal bubbly voice. Then the pair of then crawl into bed, Kagome snuggled against InuYasha's torso, InuYasha's arms wrapped around Kagome his face in her hair, the couple fell into a pleasant sleep.  
  
**A/N:** OH MY GO I DID IT!!!!!!! I DID THIS OVER A WEEK CAUSE I WAS DOING SO MUCH OTHER STUFF I DIDN'T HAVE TIME THE 7 HOURS I WAS ON EACH DAY!!!!!! Urg I'm gonna break down...I leave in 22 hours from when I finished this...I am going on a month long road trip and we aren't even packed!!!!! Urg, there is way too much to do!!!!! I how you liked this chapter....it is about 9 pages and I how it is as Kawaii as I tried to make it. It may not be cause I've lived off of 2 hours of sleep for the past two weeks so I'm exhausted...I cant wait to leave...then ill be able to sleep!!! Yea...I could so use a cup of coffee...-.-' I am utterly exhausted...I am hear/seeing things. I have a constant stomachache...sigh it looks like 2 hours of sleep again...I am going go pass out now...bye!!! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews...they keep me going...Arigato!!!! 


	10. Tests

OK FIRST OF ALL IF YOU HAVNT READ CHAPTER 9 GO READ IT!!!! YES CHAPTER 9 IS A CHAPTER, I REPLACED THE AUTHOR'S NOTE!!!!

Secondly I would like to apologize for taking so long...I have been back for about a 2 weeks but it has been insane here...we spent a week cleaning-.- you would not believe what a mess an 11 and 13 year old can make...you could swim in all the trash they had...it was gross...by the way I'm not exaggerating...I am dead serious...but yea I just went school shopping yesterday...and I start in 3 days...just about exactly...i start at 7:07...lol anyway I will be updating more often now and I am trying to get my website up and once that happens I will have a place to pass information quicker...k, arigato (thank you) for all of you who put up with me...

Thirdly I actually use language in this chapter...very unlike me...but it brought out the chapter...I think...I hope...I already feel bad about using it...slap bad authoress... lol anyway if the end is kinda weird...I was listening to change the world in English. Yea it is as scary as it sounds but I like the beat and I'm to lazy to change it at the moment...since I have had several comments on the amount of Japanese I use I am gonna add a mini glossary at the bottom with some of the words on it...for all you strict English speakers...or English is your second language (ouch...that has to be a pain to learn...I hate it as my first language...lol ok onto the chapter!!!! (long awaited)

* * *

Chapter 10:

The light from the morning sun broke through the window and lit up the hanyou's face, his nose twitched and he unconsciously took a deep breath, inhaling Kagome's scent like he normally did every morning before he woke up. It was 6:15 and everyone in the house was still asleep, and would be for a few more hours. InuYasha's eyes moves as he started to wake up, the light was bothering him and he had already slept in from his usual time he gets up in the Feudal Era. He yawns, revealing is usually hidden fangs, and blinks his eyes trying to focus. He tries to get up but is hindered by a weight on his arm, he looks down at Kagome who is curled up beside him, she shifts, starting to wake up.

Kagome cuddles closer to the warmth beside her, and then she starts to blink her eyes. Once she can see she turns over to watch InuYasha, only to find he is already awake.

InuYasha turns away knowing he has been caught, a blush starts to spread across his face unbeknown to Kagome. "Morning, InuYasha" she smiles, "I didn't know you were already up...but yesterday you did take a pretty long cat nap..."

InuYasha looks up slightly surprised, "uh yea...hey! It wasn't a nap...I'm not a cat...it was a uh...uh...um...."

Kagome grinned broadly, "Whatever InuYasha" in response to her remark he growled. Kagome smirked (a very unkagome like thing to do) and elbowed him in his stomach, just below his ribs. Then she hoped out of the hanyou's arms hit the floor and made a mad dash downstairs.

InuYasha is so surprised that he lets Kagome go, when he finally assess the situation Kagome is already out the door and halfway downstairs. InuYasha jumps up and chases after the human. The only thing is when he finds her in the living room she is rolling on the couch laughing as hard as she can.

Kagome was running down the stairs when she remembered last night and a smile creeps across her face, that didn't last long she was soon giggling and by the time she got to the bottom of the stairs he was laughing so hard she could barely breath, she then stumbled over to the couch as InuYasha jumped down the stairs.

InuYasha just stared at her from the foot of the stairs, confused as to why his companion is laughing with no obvious sign of a cause.

Meanwhile Kagome starts to compose herself as she begins to breathe again. "

"Ha...ha...s-s-sorry InuYasha...I-I-I was just re-remembering last night"

InuYasha stopped and looked at her, for the second time in five minuets he found a blush crawling across his face. Kagome watched the blush on InuYasha's face grow as he recalled the previous night, this sent her into another bought of giggles that just about woke the house up. InuYasha was amazed the old man hadn't come down and started yelling at him, he assumed that "priest" slept hard.

Kagome had stopped laughing by now and was currently watching her companion's expression change, "InuYasha?" she asked curiously.

The hanyou snapped back to the land of the living, "uh huh?"

"You ok?"

"Yea" he said a little too quickly.

Kagome knew something was wrong but she didn't feel like starting an argument, she would get it out of him when and if she needed. Kagome rolled her eyes, typical InuYasha... "Want some breakfast?"

The hanyou was surprised by the change of subject but accepted it gratefully, "uh yea..."

"K, lets go make some pancakes..."

"What are pancakes?" a look of slight confusion passed over his face.

Kagome smiled, "come on, I'll show you"

The pair walked into the empty kitchen, Kagome immediately started to look for "ingredients" and quietly told him what to do and where to put it so as not to wake anyone up...quite yet.

15 minuets later InuYasha and Kagome were waking everyone up with the smell of pancakes and the hanyou could now use just about every major/descent appliance in the kitchen.

A few minuets later a half asleep ten-year-old boy walked into the room, "What smells so good mom?" after a few more blinks of the eyes he realizes his mistake and tries to fix it, "uh I mean neechan"

"Huh, oh its only you Souta, we're making pancakes..."

"Is Inu-no-niichan helping you?"

"Hai, would you like to try some?"

"Hai! I'd love to!"

"Ok, go sit down..."

"Ok" InuYasha turns his attention from the pan to the girl beside him, "uhhh are these done Kagome?"

Kagome turns and looks at them, "Hai, perfect...now put them on the plate and we can start to serve..."

"Alright"

As InuYasha is cooking the rest of the family is awakened, within a half and hour breakfast is eaten and dishes are washed, Kagome is about to leave for tutoring and InuYasha is begging to come, "Kagome why cant I come, she already knows I'm a demon..."

"That has nothing to do with it, I wont be able to concentrate if you're there..."

"But..."

"But nothing...my mom needs help anyway...she will be more than willing to teach you stuff InuYasha, you could have your own version for tutoring from my okasan...k see you later InuYasha."

InuYasha watched Kagome leave and within 10 seconds her okasan was asking him if she could show him some things, he gave in...he had nothing better to do...

Kagome returned a few hours later, she then went and took a shower, forcing her male companion to as well. InuYasha had been helping Kagome's mother while she was gone, she was teaching him how to use the washing machine and dryer for laundry, as well as helping her fix the freezer, it had been giving her a hard time. It turns out the hanyou is not only a quick study he is also very mechanically inclined...he easily found the problem with the freezer, and when she showed him the car he was totally enthralled, she gave him the manual and he sat and scanned over that book until Kagome came home and distracted him.

When Kagome heard what the half demon had done all day she was very surprised to say in the least. "He really helped you out today...and he was studying the manual...what in the world InuYasha?" she looked over at the individual in question.

"What?" he says genuinely sincere.

"Number one you helped out my mom on your own free will, number two you don't study, or...or understand mechanics, I don't even get it...next thing I know your good at math..."she let out a sigh and InuYasha raised an eyebrow at her.

"I don't see the big deal" he responds innocently.

"Arg!!" with that Kagome throws her arms up and stomps up to her room collapsing on top of her bed face down.

After a shared look between Mrs. H and InuYasha the inu-demon bounds up the stairs.

"Kagome?" he asks quietly

Kagome talks into her bed earning her a confused look from person standing the doorway. She looks up from the bed and says, "I just can't get this one algebra configuration." She made a face "and it frustrates me that's all, gomen I snapped at you.

"Maybe I can help?"

"Knock yourself out" she gestures to the open book on the desk.

InuYasha walks over to the desk and studies the lesson for a few minuets then walks over to where Kagome is still lying on the bed. He sits cross legged on the bed, "ok so your trying to get the falling model right? And the formula is h=-16t_2_ vt s?"(height is equal to 16 time squared plus velocity times time plus initial hight)

This got Kagome's attention, "uh huh"

"Ok if h is the height and t is time and v is velocity and s is initial height then that is the right formula" Kagome nodded

"Alright what you want to find how long it will take the ball to reached the ground if it is dropped from a 320 foot building, so that would make the formula 0=-16t_2 _t 320"

"Yea..."

"Now you just solve..."

"Ohhh, now I get it if the ball is at the ground than the height is zero...that's what I did wrong...ok, Domo Arigato InuYasha!" with that she jumped on him and gave him a very big hug.

InuYasha blushed but was proud of himself, for not only grasping something that was supposed to be way over his head but he also was able to get Kagome in a good mood again, instead of upsetting her.

* * *

The rest of the week continued like this Kagome got up in the morning, went to Ayumi's tutoring and if she needed help she would ask her companion for assistance, and while Kagome was away her mother would help InuYasha become more up to date...it took awhile with some things but he was very quick with others. They both took him out places in public so he could get used to it...she still didn't like shoes so he wore them as little as possible but he was starting to put up with them....

The rest of the week was relatively uneventful until Friday...then the problems started....

* * *

"Come on Kagome!!"

"I'm coming InuYasha..." we are returning from a last minuet shopping run and decided to take a shortcut though an ally to get home quick, InuYasha seems on edge.

'Damn, something isn't right...I cant pick out individual scents...except ones I know...the smells here are so strong and abundant, I cant tell if someone is coming...they are all too fresh and common...this isn't safe, damn how did I get talked into this?' "Kagome!"

"I'm coming, man what is with you?"

InuYasha growled, "Damnit, something isn't right, just stay close alright!" he responded more roughly than both expected but at least Kagome walked a little closer.

'I wonder what has him so worked up? What is he afraid of? His senses are probably just overwhelmed...no biggy'

Then InuYasha heard something even over the noise in the street at the end of the alley. "Shit!" he whispered under his breath. He had left his sword in Kagome's room upon her request, he knew it was a bad idea...he always felt kind of edgy without his sword but now her was really wishing he had gone though the "sits" so he had it right now.

Kagome's eyes shifted as she saw a shadow move, "that can't be good" she shifted closer to InuYasha.

InuYasha noticed this and decided he wasn't going to play games, he stopped, got into a defensive position and hid Kagome behind him. Another shadow moved, this triggered InuYasha to growl, Kagome wasn't sure if she was the only who heard it...it was so soft and low...but it was equally as threatening as when his growls are auditable.

"Damnit! Quit hiding you bastards!"

"It's been a long time since I have been threatened...ah Kevin?"

"I'd have to agree...Justin" with that a pair or what looked like gangsters stepped out of the shadows and into the pale light that was running down the alley.

InuYasha growled again, only this time louder, "Bastards, what do you want?"

"What do you think? All your valuables, and the girl wouldn't hurt..." little did they realize by saying that they had sealed their fate.

InuYasha's growl increased, so the two humans were sure to hear, "you're not getting anything..." he managed out though gritted teeth.

Kagome looked up at his face and immediately became worried 'oh my god! His eyes...he's transforming!' "InuYasha!!!"

'...inuyasha....' Kagome's voice was vague yet so close and frantic.... 'No...no, I have to stay...I have to protect Kagome' you will protect her 'no...no...'

"What I didn't catch that..." Justin taunted

"I said you're not getting anything but a good beating, asshole" he repeated looking up, his eyes flashed red for a moment, an outer sign that he was waging a war to keep his demonic side at bay.

Worry was written all over Kagome's face, not for herself but for the silver haired hanyou standing next to her. InuYasha squinted his eyes closed again and when he opened them all reminisce or red had disappeared.

"Give us the stuff!"

"I told you you're not getting anything" InuYasha wasn't waiting any longer, he was tired of their game. He went for the guy, but he was to fast, the guy pulled out a gun and before Kagome finished yelling InuYasha's name the guy pulled the trigger.

Kagome watched in horror as the bullet hit InuYasha Square in the chest at close range.

This was a new sensation for the hanyou, a burning was in his chest and it knocked the wind out of him...not to mention it probably broke a rib or two... InuYasha clutched his chest slowing down a bit, and then when he could breath again he leapt on the "Kevin" guy growling very menacingly.

Once he got to the guy he beat him a bit, then threw him against the wall successfully knocking him out. The guy would be sore with a bunch of bruises and maybe a broken bone to two, but he would live.

But while his buddy was getting beat the living crap out of Justin ran over to seize Kagome, who was so worried about InuYasha that she didn't even notice Justin until it was too late. "InuYa-" Justin wrapped his arm around Kagome's neck, holding her and with the other hand he pulled a gun and put it to her hand.

InuYasha was already chasing Justin when Kagome screamed so he was close, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he had the gun to Kagome's head screaming he would shoot her if he took a step farther.

This was it...his demon blood had won...he couldn't win, it just overtook him, their was nothing he could do...he was pushed away...it was over...

InuYasha raised his gaze to meet Justin's, his eyes blood red, fangs elongated, claws sharper, and the marks that represent his blood, evident on his normally unmarred face.

Justin's eyes widened, "What the fuck?!?!" he also loosened his grip on Kagome.

InuYasha took his chance; he dashed at Kagome, knocking him off her. Once Kagome was safe he went after Justin. Who at the moment was trying to catch his breath from being thrown so hard.

InuYasha struck, hard and fast, his punches were bone shattering, not to mention is claws, they cut and slashed at any part of him they came in contact with...only one thing penetrated his mind...a voice...one voice...Kagome's voice...

"INUYASHA!!!" tears were running down her face, "InuYasha PLEASE!!" she cried and got as close as she dare trying to break though him. She couldn't sit him...he would fall on the guy and that would surly kill him.

'...inu....yasha...' her voice was soft and weak but it was there...and it was all he had to hang onto...and there was no way in hell he was gong to ignore it...he listened harder...she was there...he could hear her more clearly now...

InuYasha was going in for a final hit...one that would go right though his skull killing him instantly...

"INUYASHA PLEASE DON'T KILL HIM!!!!!!" with that line a tear rolled off her face and flew toward InuYasha...

That was all he needed, one the tear hit him he was free, he took control forcing his demonic blood away again. His eyes faded back to their original golden, his fangs shortening, markings vanishing, and his claws...his blood drenched claws mere raking over Justin's flesh..."lucky bastard" were the last words he heard before he was knocked out.

Kagome had tears flooding down her face, her eyes puffy her cheeks red, rivers of water evident over her worried expression. He couldn't take it...he couldn't face her...he fled...

"INUYASHA!!! COME BACK!!! Come "she could scream anymore...she fell on her knees, her face in her hands, crying her eyes out, surrounded by the two men who were cause of...of...of everything!

* * *

Inu-no-niichan: literally means "older dog brother"

Neechan: oldersister

Arigato: thank you

Sumi-masen: thank you

Hai: yes/ok

Okasan:mom

BY THE WAY I'M LOOKING FOR NAMES FOR GRANDPA AMD KAGOME'S MOM....THX!!!! and I will be adding the suffixes to the names once they get to America...k ill leave a whole paragraph on it for all who are interested...later oh and the thing withe the algebra...fan fic wount he let me put pluse signs in for all who care it was the falling modle...but whatever...


	11. Questions

GOMEN!!!!! I am sooo sorry I am been super busy with school and all, homework thought the roof and I went backpacking last weekend which is when I planned on updating...again I am very, very sorry for tacking so long...but I will promise you this I WILL FINISH THIS STORY!!!! If it's the last thing I do...no matter what, it may take a bit to update sometimes cause of homework and stuff but I will finish it...around late January I probably wont update much cause I will be having finals...so yea please be patient and don't give up on this story...I will finish it!!!!!...domo arigato! .

'...' Conscious thought

-...- Subconscious/demon side

CHAPTER 11

"InuYasha!!!!! Come back!!!" Kagome gritted her teeth together and balled her fists, a stream of tears still running down her face, her breathing was erratic and labored, she was still in shock from what had happened, but the only thing that was on her mind was the inu hanyou that was somewhere in Tokyo. Somewhere away from her....

A few minuets later she pulled herself off the ground, she was shaking from head to toe. She walked back out to the crowded street, it was so noisy and they were so far down in the alley that the gunshots went unnoticed. Kagome was a in a daze as she walked home, her mind stayed on the events that just took place, on he men on, on the gun, on InuYasha. The scene of him getting shot played over and over in her mind, each time it became more painful and she became more worried and anxious.

As she approached the shrine she called out him again, "InuYasha!" she did this a few more times before her voice gave out, the distress in her was rising very high, all she could think about was InuYasha, where he could be, if he was alright.

In her emotional state she ran up the shrine steps, 'wait, maybe he is in my room or in the sacred tree!' she flew up to her room unconsciously dropping the articles they picked up on there shopping trip. She burst thought the door "InuYasha!" the room was empty, only a warm breeze occupied the space, then she noticed something, 'Tetsaiga is gone!' her eyes opened widely and she ran over to her bed checking to make sure it didn't fall on the floor, it hadn't it was gone. Only then did she realize the window was open, "InuYasha..." she whispered softly, calling out to him.

Just to make sure she ran out to the God Tree, not sign of him, defeated she fell to her knees in front of it, "why...why...why did this have to happen, why?!?!" she was barely able to whisper it, her throat was so sore from yelling for InuYasha she could barely talk. A fresh flow of tears fell down her face, "InuYasha...."

'Why did you leave?' Kagome thought desperately.

-Why? Why do you think, he was ashamed...its one of those pride things- answered her subconscious.

'But he left, just took off, it was me wasn't it?'

-Well...indirectly...he was afraid he would hurt you...you know that-

'Hai, but he didn't hurt me, he didn't even kill the guy...he stopped'

-That doesn't make a difference...he lost control...he was ashamed, and......afraid-

'Afraid, why would he be afraid, he is never afraid, that's crazy...isn't it?...'

-Is it, if it's so crazy then why did he tell you he was afraid before he pushed you down the well after being injured by his brother...-

Kagome's eyes widened 'oh my god...he did...he, he couldn't have been afraid though....'

-Why? Why can't he be afraid?-

'He had nothing to be afraid of'

-He wasn't afraid for himself...he was afraid for you...me...he didn't want you to get hurt...he could have hurt you...-

'But he wouldn't, he, he just wouldn't...'

-...I know...but he doesn't...he still has yet to figure that out...he must learn that himself...-

'But...why...why isn't he here...why...why am I alone...I'm alone...'

This time her subconscious was quiet, no answer resounded inside her head, silence overtook her. "Why...why am I alone?...why InuYasha?" her tears started again.

He turned and leapt away, leaving Kagome in the alley with the two unconscious men. He had to get away he couldn't hurt Kagome, she would be safer without him, he needed Tetsaiga, his demon blood was still battling to come out again and overpower him. He had to get away from Kagome so he didn't hurt her if he lost himself again, the men wouldn't wake up for 3 days...and no one was even close to the alleyway.

He jumped from building to building his teeth clamped together, hands balled in fists, 'I have to keep my blood under control, I have to reach Tetsaiga.'

-Why hold back, you're worried about Kagome...but you are leaving her...-

'Shut up! I can't let you out, you'll hurt her!'

-Why would I do that, there is no benefit from it...I have acknowledged her as your mate...I didn't hurt her in the fight...did I? No, I got her to safety first then I took care of the bastard...-

'Mate? What, what are you talking about?'

-...You chose her as a mate and I acknowledged tha- he was cut off

'What are you talking about? I didn't chose her as a mate!'

-...Yes, you did...-

'When did I do that?'

-Actually not long after you met her...but I ignored it for the most pa- he was cut off again.

'I did not! What about Kikyo?'

-Why do you insist on deceiving yourself...you know for a fact that Kikyo is dead and that you don't love her...why do you keep beating yourself up...-

'I-I-I don't know, I, I just don't know, I feel like I owe her since she died because of me...'

-SHE DIDN'T DIE BECAUSE OF YOU!!!! It was that bastard Naraku! You know that dammit!-

As InuYasha lost certainty he started to lose control and his demon blood started to raise, 'no! You can't get out! You'll...no, no, you cant come out again!'

He moved quicker towards the shrine where his sword lay on Kagome's bed. It was becoming increasingly hard to hold him off. His limbs here shaking by the time he reached Kagome's window, he couldn't hold his demon blood off much longer. He gritted his teeth and stepped into the room, taking very labored and deliberate steps finally he reached out and grabbed his sword, the moment his fingers wrapped themselves around the sheath he felt his control returning.

All he wanted to do was collapse on Kagome's bed and sleep, but he couldn't after what had happened, he thought about returning to the feudal era but decided against it since they would ask questions he did not want to answer...'Dammit, now what??? Where do I go? I cant to the Sacred Tree...she will find me there...Where? Wher- aha perfect!' and with that InuYasha leapt off towards the horizon.

Awhile later Kagome decides to go look for InuYasha, she doesn't know how but she knows exactly where to look for him, it was somewhere she had not gone in a long time. She grabbed a jacket and ran down the street. Little did she know that a pair of schoolgirls spot her and start to follow her down the street.

As Kagome is running she gets the feeling that someone is watching her, but she ignores it. Her friends follow her as she maneuvers though pedestrians when Ayumi spots Yuka and Eri following Kagome.

'What are they doing...this cant be good no matter what its about...I better keep an eye on them for Kagome's sake' Ayumi joined the chase.

Kagome strode quickly though the city to the outskirts and into the park that overlooked the area. She didn't know why she was going here or what she was doing but she felt like this was where she would find the hanyou. She couldn't explain why, he had never been there, but she had, before she started to go bat into the warring states era this was her favorite place. She would come up here to think and get away, she had come here a lot after her father died and she felt that for some reason she could find InuYasha here. She ran into the bushes, which was now slightly overgrown since she had ceased to force a trail here for some time. The sun was beginning to set now and an orange glow was starting to lower over the area. As she crested the hill she had to push a branch to the side to get to the clearing at the top. And there silhouetted against the orange sun was InuYasha

GOMEN, I know it is a short chapter but I have been sick and I have been really busy with homework so yea, I am still looking for names for Kagome's mother and grandfather so I would appreciate it if you had any idea to include them in your review...so ya thx again, again I am sorry I have been busy but I will have chapter 12 up soon (in about a week and a half at most) this weekend I am free so I should have it up by then...but if not I will have it but by the next weekend. Domo Arigato for waiting...I WILL finish this story though...ttyl,

Lunar


	12. Answers

Chapter 12:

'Naze? Naze...why all the questions? Why, is it always me, why don't I know the answers?' InuYasha growled and looked out over the city. He couldn't stop thinking, his mind was racing. 'Why did I leave Kagome in the alley? Why was I so stupid? Why did I even agree to take that "shortcut" in the first place?! Dammit all!' InuYasha clutched his head in frustration and continued to growl, scowling at the ground he was sitting on. Why he didn't go after Kagome was beyond him...or so he thought until his demon side spoke up.

'Why haven't I gone to see if Kagome is ok?'

_Because I saved her_

'Nani? You did no such thing! You could have killed her!'

_You really think I would kill my future mate?_ his demon side answered smoothly

'What do you mean you wouldn't kill her, of course you-...what did you just call her?' he asked totally caught off guard.

_Nani? Our future mate?_ he responded calmly

'What do you mean future mate?!'

_How can you possible ask that question?_

'What so you mean, "how can I ask that"??? I have a perfectly legitimate reason for asking it!!!' he responded in near hysterics

_Come on, don't play stupid-_ he was cut off

'What is that supposed to mean???'

_Sigh what are you, blind, stupid and cruel?_

'No, that would be you' he answered though gritted teeth

_I man be cruel sometimes, but that is life, I am not stupid nor am I blind...but you on the other hand are..._

'Where do you come up with that' he asked angrily.

_My, my what I temper...they think I'm bad..._ he said taunting his counterpart (literarily )

'Bastard, spit it out!'

_Fine, you just don't want to admit that you have found someone that both out haves like...I should give you some credit..._

'What the hell dose that mean?'

_Well, Kami knows why you love her, but you are human...maybe your human side like her innocence...or what is left of it...I like her confidence, she isn't afraid of anyone even out brother, but then again, she needs to take care of herself a little more, we always need to save her...not that we mind though..._

"Would you stop throwing those words around!!!'

_Nani? Mate, love, se-_

'DAMNIT! SHUT-UP!!!'

_Nani?_

'leave me alone!'

_Only enough time to think a little_

'Dammit, do I hate talking to him...'

InuYasha paused to rest, then started to go ever the conversation he just had...it was worse then some of his conversations with Myoga. If they were alone he never forgot to remind his master about the mark he had placed on Kagome.

'Damn! That is probably the reason why my demon side is attracted to her...' he growled in frustration 'why did I even mark her in the first place...I didn't do it on purpose...I just remember it there...' his eyes widened 'it was my demon side, he marked her...DAMN! All that belittling and worry and concern and it wasn't even my fault!!!'

_What do you mean not even your fault?_

InuYasha growled, 'weren't you gonna leave me alone?'

_I was but I am being blamed without being able to defend myself...so I came to clear some things up..._

'Like what?'

_Like the fact that I don't do anything without you...I am directly linked to you, I am part of you and I may act on my own accord, it is always connected to you. I marked Kagome because she belongs to you_

'Nani? Kagome doesn't belong to anyone...'

_Yea yea...whatever, well get over it...she is yours...she is your responsibility...and as long as you keep in contact with her, physically, emotionally, whatever...it becomes stronger of a bond...that is why you can travel though the well. The bond the two of you have is extremely strong...even when you first met. And ever since then it has intensified as you have grown closer_

'What the hell? How do you know that?'

_You are a demon...an whether you are aware of it or not, you have instincts...you never asked to know then..._

'I don't want to know...'

_You'll be using some of them soon..._

'What the hell do you mean by that?!'

_You'll know soon enough..._

'LEAVE ME ALONE'

_Fine, fine..._

'Naze? Nani? What is going to happen? How will she take it? Will she hate me?' he shook his head, 'no she said she liked me how I was...so she cant hat me...can she? But the was before she knew...how can I tell her? What will she say? What will she DO?'

InuYasha pondered this as his gaze flew over the city, 'how did I get here? How did I know it was here? It felt like a place of security and calm...but why he had never been here. Why do I know this?'

_You are bonded to Kagome, you know that...these are her memories, her feeling. This was her place to hide...you must have tapped into that bond without even realizing it_

InuYasha face faulted, 'Nani? how did that happen? by the way when did we become bonded?'

_You have been bonded...we marked her the first day you met_

'Nani? What are you talking about? "we" didn't mark her!'

_Hai, WE did...it may not be a visible one but you did mark her, she is unaware of it, but every demon knows it's there...and so does Kikyo...that is why she wants to get rid of her...she knows how close you both are and dose not want any resistance while trying to take you to hell..._

'No...no...if a demon can tell it's there...why cant I?'

_Because it has always been there...it doesn't stand out...it is made of your scent...and the closer you two get the stronger it becomes_

'Wow wait...Kouga didn't seem to think Kagome was marked...he told Kagome that he loved her on that mountain...'

_Kouga is a baka...he only said he loved her after you showed up...he knew that she was bonded to you and he really didn't have a chance...so he tried every thing, anything...Yourki are very protective of there mates...and after seeing how protective you are he kind of knew it would never happen...now it is a matter of pride, he cant be beaten by a hanyou..._

'Well at least we agree on one thing...Kouga is a baka' his thoughts were scattered when a rustling in the bushes started behind him and the sun hit the horizon spreading powerful colors jumping off the clouds.

* * *

Eri and Yuka ran down the streets following Kagome into the park. "Why is Kagome going into the park?"

"Who knows? Isn't that why we are following her?"

"Isn't this where she would run off to why she was upset?"

"Hai...wonder why she is all upset then...they leave in like a day or 2...she was so excited about this trip"

"Look there she goes, up in the bushes"

"We'll have to sneak up slowly in the bushes so she dose not notice us..."

"Ok-ke"

* * *

'Great now what are those 2 busybodies up to?' she quickly caught Kagome go up though the bushes and then watches as her stalkers followed her up at a slower, quieter pace...

'Peachy...how am I gonna get rid of them? And if I cant...will I be able to convince them of something besides what they hear? Shit! Now what?'

* * *

Kagome came out of the bushes and InuYasha turned around, his golden eyes seemed like fire as they caught the light reflected off sun setting clouds, so many emotions stirred within then they seemed to have a will of their own. His face was solemn and washed with grief, his posture was slouched, submitting.

Kagome's eyes glazed over as she say him there, he seem like a broken man, so weak, so vulnerable...nothing like InuYasha. "Inu...Inu..."was all she managed to choke out before she shattered and threw herself at InuYasha.

InuYasha was caught off-guard, and fell back having to support himself by his hands behind him. Kagome clung to his shirt like she has done some many times to his haori, and cried into his chest, all that she had been holding in came pouring down her cheeks.

InuYasha slowly sat back up, he was torn, he wanted to comfort Kagome...but he just didn't trust himself...he could hurt her...'damnit!'

_What are you doing, comfort your mate!!_

'I cant!'

What the hell do you mean? Just put your arms around her 

'I cant...what if...'

_Baka! How many times do I have to tell you!!! I wont hurt our mate!_

'She's not-'

_Shut-up and comfort her!_

InuYasha stopped arguing 'well if he thinks of her that way at least I know he wont hurt her...I still don't trust him...' but with that he wrapped his arms gently around Kagome's slender form, holding her close, he started to slowly make circles on her back, like his mother had done to him when he was little to calm him down.

At first Kagome cried harder because of a lack of response from InuYasha, but once he enveloped her in an embrace she immediately clamed down, her crying slowed. Then he started to run circles on her back, she relaxed, her breathing was still slightly erratic but her tears had almost subsided. They sat in silence for the next few moments, just enjoying each other's warmth and comfort.

* * *

Yuka and Eri stumbled to the edge of the vegetation hiding in a clump of bushes, positioning themselves so that they could see the couple.

"Who's that?"

"They guy with Kagome?"

"Hai..."

"He's probably, the two-timing boyfriend..."

"Ya think?"

"Who else would I be?"

"I don't know...he doesn't look familiar...he doesn't go to our school..."

"Hai, we would have heard about a guy with silver hair..."

They continued to watch the pair as InuYasha bowed his head and rested it on Kagome's.

"You know he doesn't seen like the guy Kagome is always complaining about...."

"Hai...you're right..."

* * *

InuYasha inhaled Kagome's scent, calming his demon side so much it was almost non-existent, 'ha let him know his mate is near and he all but disappears...wait did I just say mate? Ahhh, no, no, no!!!'

Kagome stirred in his arms, "hmm InuYasha, you ok-ke?"

"Huh?"

"You left in a hurry and ran away...you seemed pretty out of it when I got here too...what's up?

InuYasha growled softly, "My demon side, he's become slightly more talkative than normal...ok-ke a lot more talkative then normal...and I don't trust him...it... god I don't even know how to refer to it..."(partially me speaking here...-.-')

"You know your demon side only wants what is best for you...I think you should trust it...him..." Kagome laughed relieving the tension that was starting to rise in the air.

InuYasha smiled for a moment but then bowed his head so hi bangs covered his eyes "but I lost control, he overpowered me..."

"No he didn't, you overpowered him...you didn't kill that thief...you let him go...you beat your blood..."

"But I almost KILLED him..."

"But you didn't...and it is not like he was an innocent bystander...InuYasha you overcame you blood...you did it..."

"But only because of your tears! I made you cry again, I hate it when you cry, especially when it is because of me..."

"They weren't because of you InuYasha...they were for you..."

InuYasha was frozen, 'she cried for me...why dose she always cry for me...I don't deserve it...'

Kagome continued, "I felt your pain InuYasha..."

InuYasha's eyes widened 'the bond! Oh god...she can gain from it too...'

_No shit...why did you think it was a one sided deal...I didn't think the bond was that strong yet but whatever..._

'Nani? What do you mean I didn't think the bond was that strong yet?!'

_...Well, in order for both partners to be able to get things from one another...they have to trust each other completely...because you are borrowing thoughts...feelings...ou cant do that with someone you don't trust..._

"I don't know how...or why but I felt it...gomen..." Kagome finished and started to turn away.

InuYasha caught her face with his hand and had her look at him...he had risen his head and his eyes were molten. "You have nothing to be sorry for...absolutely nothing...you understand me..."

"I...I..." Kagome smiled genuinely "hai!" she then suddenly stood up knocking InuYasha over.

"Ahh..."

Kagome extended a hand to help him up, InuYasha took it. After he was up Kagome gave him a slight push and ran to the other side of the hill "your IT"

InuYasha stumbled and blinked, 'you're it?' realization hit, "hey" he yelled running over and tagging her. Kagome tried to get him back but he slipped away form her every time...after awhile she smiled...she had an idea...

"Chot-to InuYasha...si-"

"NO!!! Wait..."

He reacted just like she wanted him to...she ran up behind him and tackled him to the ground...

"Uff, hey what was that for?"

Kagome laughed, "pinned ya..."

"Oh ya?" with that InuYasha gently knocked her to the side and rolled over pinning her underneath him..."Can't sit me now..."he teased

Kagome stuck out her tongue. InuYasha smirked and backed off of her helping her to her feet.

"Feel better? She asked

He looked confused for a moment...then smiled "hai"

"Lets go home oka-san is probably worried" with that they started slowly home...the sun was set and the stars were just starting to make themselves know...but the moon was leading then home with its white light.

* * *

"Did you hear anything they said?"

"No, not really...something about blood or I don't know"

"Blood!!!! Maybe he's a vampire!!!"

"Nani?"

"Well..."

"You read to much on...lets go home...oka-an is gonna be cross..."

"Hai" with that the 2 girls left...

* * *

As the pair of school girls walked away Ayumi let out a sigh..."thank god.." 'I really didn't feel like explaining anything...'wait?! Where was InuYasha's ears?!'

* * *

ok-ke –OK

oka-san –mother (mom)

Hai –yea

Nani –what

Naze –why

Kami –god

Baka –idiot, moron, stupid...(minor insults like that)

Chot-to -hey

* * *

Ok-ke, I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry...high school is insane...well would be easy if I wasn't in honors and I had a billion other things to do...I have gotten on the comp 4 hours total this week...including checking my email and doing my reports...lol and I have been working on a bunch of other stuff (for school clubs and such)...again I am sooo sorry...k ttyl!!!!! (btw if it is the last thing I do I WILL finish this story)


	13. Swimming

Chapter 13

"Kagome! InuYasha!" Mrs. Higarashi called up to the sleeping pair. Ayumi had just called and wanted to speak with Kagome but the girl wasn't up yet so her mother told her that she would call back later. But her mother was curious to why neither Kagome or InuYasha had responded. So she went to investigate.

Knock Knock Kagome's mother gently rapped on the door, no answer…she then slowly let the door open a crack.

* * *

InuYasha shifted uncomfortably in his sleep, tightening his hold on Kagome ever so slightly as they lay in her bed, protection her from whatever could was comeing around. But he soon realized subconsciously that the scent was familiar and not at all threatening, so he relaxed a little but did not release Kagome. He then subconsciously nuzzled Kagome's hair and absorbed her scent, while in returnKagome leaned back into him on instinct, moving towards the warmth and security that the object or person was giving off.

* * *

Kagome's mother stood there in the doorway for a moment, many thinks going though her mind as she saw them there sleeping in Kagome's bed. After a second she smiled, and for some reason this smile touched deep inside her, a warmth filled her and she actually felt better watching them rest peacefully in each other's company. Her little girl was safe, protected, cared for, loved…yes her daughter had become upset at times at the half demon who was currently resting next to her but what she truly found in their relationship was friendship, compassion, trust, security…love, but most of all understanding…

* * *

InuYasha awoke slowly as he heard a door creak shut. "Mmmhhhm," he mumbled into Kagome's hair shifting his weight around a bit causing her to move as well. He then sat up yawning, his fangs poking comfortably out of his mouth. Kagome groaned as she woke up, squinting her eyes before she slowly opened them. Her slowly opening eyes caught golden ones, "morning Yasha…" she mumbled, he got a confused look on his face

"Huh? Yasha? Where did you get that?"

"Well I can't go around calling you INUyasha!"

"Why not?"

"Because, people will begin to wonder, if I keep calling you a dog…."

"But I am a dog…"

"That is beside the point"

"Nani?"

"Nevermind…." Kagome blushed, "uhhh InuYasha could you let go of me?"

InuYasha realized what position they were in, although it felt completely natural…(no not in that way all you perverts! Joe in particular!) "Uh oh…" he untangles his limbs from around Kagome's frame.

Once she was free Kagome got up and stretched, the brisk morning air biting at her exposed skin. InuYasha then followed suit and sat up stretching. InuYasha suddenly perked up, "Come on Kagome…I smell breakfast"

"Is that all you think about?"

"No…I think about Naraku too…bastard….grrrrrr"

Kagome laughs…"Ok dog boy…"

"I though you were stopping calling me a dog…"

"Only in public…you are still a dog…and I wouldn't want it any other way" Kagome breaks out laughing after catching her friends face…

"Nani?"

Then recovers, "race you downstairs!"

"Huh? Chot-to!" the inu hanyou yells back.

InuYasha easily wins and smirks, Kagome glares at him and is about to say something but her mother walk in.

"Oh, Kagome…InuYasha you're awake…good…ok, well, Ayumi called and she wants you to call her back…ok…something about doing something before we all leave…"

"K, thanks mom!" she verbalizes her gratitude for permission, then walks straight into the kitchen, InuYasha follows her and then goes straight for the pancakes while Kagome went to use the phone.

She dials the number quickly having done it so many times, "Moshi, moshi"

"Oh, hi, this is Kagome..."

"OHHH good! You called I thought maybe you wouldn't call…but whatever…"

"Why did you call? My mom said something about doing something before we leave tonight…"

"YEA! Do you want to come over and go swimming?"

"Swimming? Really?"

"Yea! We all want to see you before you leave and we figured it would be fun."

"Ahhh I don't know…Yasha cant swim, I don't think…and…oh if …is it just gonna be just us?"

"Well…ummm no….Eri and Yuka are here…they wanna meet Yasha…so yea…how do you hide his ears….?"

Well I can but not for very long…and that is the only I can hide…I don't have the experience nor the energy for anything else…"

"That is good we can explain the rest pretty easily…"

"Ok…are you sure? I mean,"

"K, see you in a few minuets..."

"ah!"

"Sayonara!"

**click**

Kagome hung up the phone, "Hey InuYasha do you like swimming?"

"You mean what you like to do in the river…what you did when you saved that kid from the village."

"Yea…"

"Ooook…."

"Ok come on!"

InuYasha who was halfway though a pancake glared at her as she dragged him back upstairs without his breakfast gone…

They passed Kagome's mom on the way up the stairs "be home by 6 ok…you will both need to take a shower…got that?"

"…."

"How-"

"I already knew honey…" she finished her descent down the stairs.

"Come on we have to get our swimsuits on!" the teenager pressed

"Kag-"

"Oh by the way, stand still." Kagome demands as she stops at the top of the stairs

"Huh?"

"Just do it!" InuYasha did the best that he could to fulfill Kagome's request.

The young miko held her pinky and thumbs together then brought them close to her lower lip as she closed her eyes gently and muttered the incantations. As she opened her eyes his fuzzy dogears faded into the background. "Perfect!"

"Huh what happened?" he asked slightly confused.

"I turned your ears invisible…"

"What?"

"Well I cant very well let you go with ears to Ayume's with Yuka and Eri there, it isn't happening…you can't wear a hat in the water…it is only temporary it will last 12 hours…well it should unless I pass out form exhaustion…"

The hanyou wasn't happy…and as Kagome mentioned that she could pass out he became slightly worried, but he got over it as he followed Kagome to her room. As he walked past the doorframe a pair of red trunks flew towards his head. "What the?" he asked in a relatively surprised tone…

"Come on Yasha, I know that you know what trunks are…they are for going into the water with." She shot him a dead look

InuYasha smirked "I know that wench…" she started out of the room and paused…"Yasha?"

Kagome shot him a look, "we already went over this …I cant keep calling you a dog because…people may think it is really rude…so"

"Keh, its my name isn't it?"

"Well yes but"

"I don't care what you call me Kagome, I was just curious" with that he walked out to change into his swimsuit before she could respond.

Kagome blinked in surprise "Wha…what was that?"

* * *

"Race ya?" Kagome yelled as she tore recklessly down the street, weaving in and out of people as she sprinted the last leg of the walk to her friend's house. The hanyou laughed lightly and leapt steadily behind her.

Kagome panted heavily as she jumped onto Ayumi's doorstep, "Ha, I win!" she taunted the inu yourki, knowing full well that he let her win, she still thought it would be fun to pin him with it.

"Kagome! InuYasha!" The girl's friends yelled as they saw the pair of them standing in the doorway.

"Can we come in?"

"Oh, yea, gomen" Yuka answers sheepishly, backing out of the way.

InuYasha slowly followed his companion into the residence of her friend. Two of the girls followed him whispering excitedly. While Ayumi walked up next to Kagome and smiled, seems that the other 2 like him…then she laughed. Kagome scowled, she had a feeling that wasn't exactly good…

* * *

They reached the backyard and both dropped their stuff next to the other girl's supplies. Kagome decided to start the fun, "last one in is a rotten egg!"

She and 2 other schoolgirls ran to the poolside and quickly dove in for fear of being the "rotten egg." Although, InuYasha and Ayumi stood there on the deck and stared the girls, one amused, one utterly confused.

Ayumi smiled and whispered to him, "it's just an expression, don't worry…come on…you only have a few hours…" with that she to ran to the pool and splashed in.

InuYasha stayed where he was contently for a few seconds more, smiling at the girls antics. Then he to joined them in the water after a coaxing look from his companion.

* * *

They played around in the water for hours, InuYasha was very reserved at first but after countless reassurance from Kagome and a few rounds of water volleyball everyone was smiling. And while the hanyou didn't know how to swim when he got in the water, he picked it up pretty well, he couldn't be outdone by a human…

* * *

Time flew by without them even realizing it…and that was the problem. Kagome finally glanced at her watch when it read 6:25. She leapt out of the pool faster than a hot potato, this rush of movement surprised the young youkai and he looked to her just as Yuka bumped the ball to him…successfully hitting him in the head.

"Come on Yasha…we gotta go…my mom is gonna kill me…we are so late, and we still have to take a shower…" she informed him quickly

He jumped out of the water and caught the towel that was thrown at him, shaking off hurriedly (and inconspicuously) and rubbing the cloth on his hair to dry it off best he could. He then rushed out after Kagome as her friends giggled amused behind him.

"Sorry I'm late mom!" Kagome called as he tore in the door.

"I'm not the one who is sorry that I have 3 minuets for the 2 of you to take showers.." she responded.

'Crap' was the first thing in both of their minds as the fumbled up the stairs. "Wait, I have an idea…" she reassured him, but the look on her face did little of that.

Kagome grabbed her clothes and threw them out on her bed and summoned InuYasha into the bathroom with her. The hanyou placed his clothes on the counter next to the sink and hung his towel on the rack next to Kagome's.

"Ok…me and Souta used to do this when we were younger so that we could leave to go places faster…" Kagome began to explain as a blush crept onto her face.

InuYasha gave her a curious stare and nodded as Kagome started the water, "we have to do this as fast as we can…." She sighed and continued…" we'll take turns with the water and the soap…its simple…ill wet my hair first and than move out of the way so you can wet your hair while I put shampoo in mine then ill rinse my hair out while you wash yours…same thing with the conditioner," Kagome paused and it seemed to InuYasha that she was beginning to blush. "Then while you're washing your hair ill take off my bathing suite and wash off-" she was cut off by a VERY upset hanyou

"NO!…no _hell _no!"

"But-"

"NO!"

"Inu-"

"NO!"

"Yash-"

"NO!"

She was finally getting fed up and the time was ticking…she didn't want to do this at all but…at this point it could not be helped. "sit…" she muttered under her breath.

The youkai gravitated to the floor and growled

Before he could yell at her she spilled out an explanation, "We HAVE to, there is no other way to get there on time! And all we have to do is be careful…I'll have my bathing suite on most of the time…I only need to wash off and get out…ok…I really need your cooperation with this InuYasha…"

The hanyou growled softly but submitted to the human against his better judgment, 'this can't end well….' InuYasha peeled himself off the tile and frowned.

(Don't ask me how no one in the house heard this….oh, they were busy packing and weren't paying attention yea that's it .)

Kagome finished fixing the shower and pulled her over-shirt off and slipped into the shower becoming the hanyou in behind her. InuYasha glared but trudged over and got in as well.

Kagome was already wetting her hair, she then turned to him and told him to do the same as she carefully slipped past him to the dry half of the tub. 'Wow, this was a lot easier when me and Souta were little...did this shower get smaller?'

Although (and thankfully) Kagome couldn't see him, InuYasha was blushing as he moved over, trying not to come in contact with her skin, it almost worked till his arm brushed hers.

Kagome ignored the contact and began to lather her hair with shampoo, it didn't take long till she was rubbing conditioner in her hair. 'This is where it is going to get interesting….' She slinked over and rinsed her hair out, the shower had gone smoothly since the arm brush at the beginning.

InuYasha blushed as he soaked his hair with conditioner, 'Crap! Why did I even put myself in this position! Baka, baka, baka!'

Kagome once again switched positions with her companion, feeling her face heat up. She slowly began to pull the skin-tight material off her shoulders and down her stomach. She paused and began to scrub her torso and arms, white foam beginning to cover her figure.

InuYasha tried to ignore the fact that Kagome was behind him, wearing less than she should have and just rinse out his hair out. With a sigh he tilted his head back, only to have it come in contact with Kagome's. Reflexively, he jerked his head back and stuttered an apology. "S-s-sorry"

"It's ok" she replied as she unfroze herself, continuing to wash off.

She then peeled her suite the rest of the way off, sudsing the rest of herself, cleaning the chlorine from her skin. She then began to move in time with InuYasha, switching spots with him. All was well until she slipped, with a small squeak she fell back to back with the hanyou. InuYasha froze, 'Fuck! Why the hell couldn't I just listen to myself! Why!'

Kagome's breathing was erratic and fast, her heart was beating as fast as she thought it could go. She couldn't move, she was too nervous, she was waiting for InuYasha to whip around and yell at her…it never came. Instead the weight she was leaning on shifted and pushed her back firmly on her feet and then finished moving over.

Kagome finally came back to reality, and rinsed the soap off, leapt from the shower, wrapped her towel around herself and fled to her room.

InuYasha finished his shower, slowly and disconnected. He turned off the shower and leaned against the shower wall, letting out a sigh of relief, 'that was WAY to close."

InuYasha then got dressed, and slowly made his way to Kagome's door, raping softly.

* * *

Kagome was becoming worried, 'what is taking him so long?' a soft know on the door yanked her out of her trance.

"Come in" she replied out of habit.

InuYasha crept in and closed the door behind him, a soft blush still colored his face, although Kagome was no better off. "Sorry" InuYasha apologized quietly

Not quiet enough though because Kagome heard it, looking up sharply. 'D-did he just apologize?'

Because of a lack of response from Kagome, InuYasha turned to go, but was stopped when a small hand caught his, holding him. He glanced back, Kagome smiled weakly, "no, I'm sorry…thanks"

"…huh…"

"Come on…my mom is gonna kill me!" Kagome yelped as she sped out of her room, youkai in tow.

* * *

A/N: Ok…first of all I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY! Between my sceduel, my computing getting a virus, getting sick, and writers block…I just COULDN'T finish this chapter…but to make it up to you I made it nice and long…lol yea…I will the next chapter up soon…the next few should just flow…this one I just couldn't write…it was driving me crazy…I knew what was sopposed to happen I just couldn't get it to come out…grrrrr do I hate that…lol well they will ge on the plane next chapter and they should be in the US by chapter 15…lol they you get to meet the first of my OC/family member… lol by the way with the shower thing..i used to do that with my sister when I was like 5 or 6…for all you weirdos…I was 5…anyway hope you enjoyed that…oh THANK YOU ALL MY FAITHFUL READERS! Again I'm sorry…

Lunar-kun


	14. Plane Ride

CHAPTER 14: Planes

(Bear with me please, I have not been to an airport in like 8 years…which would make me 7 or 8…k so yea (although that does not mean I don't know how a plane works… ' I love aviation . )

* * *

The airport was crowded, loud, bright, smelly, and busy…all in all totally overwhelming the hanyou's senses. Kagome dragged him along though lines and around people and flashing signs. It has been crazy enough just getting to the airport, let alone navigating inside it. At the moment they were stand calmly in line while other people around them fidgeted impatiently.

InuYasha turned his head upward as a booming voice called over the intercom system, his invisible ears twitched, catching the sound as his eyes swiveled around to glance at Kagome and then to the next thing that jumped out and grabbed his attention.

Kagome was watching amused, glad he was taking to the situation so well, he was looking around like a little kid and he was confused, but that was to be expected even after all they did to get him used to the era, he was doing exceptionally well, granted he was here a week, giver or take a few visits to pull her back down the well. Kagome let out a small giggle at the idea of the tables being turned, now she was the one dragging him off to a strange place he knew nothing about. Her laugh was lost in the array of noise but InuYasha caught it regardless and looked down at her curiously, but that was to be expected his hearing was far superior to hers.

"What?" he questioned

"Huh? Oh nothing…"

He gave her a look but did not push the matter, they were betting close to the front of the line and he did not even want to risk an argument as he had a 7 hour flight ahead of him, one which Kagome would be sitting next to him and he would have to either put up with her aggregated glances, totally ignoring him or feeling stupid and having to apologize so he would go crazy sitting still doing nothing for hours on end…all of which did not sound well, it wasn't worth getting into and argument over.

InuYasha let out a sigh as the first of their party emptied their pockets onto the tray and attempted to walk though the scanner. The machine buzzed and Kagome's grandpa walked back through and grudgingly dropped his wallet in the tray before passing through with out a problem.

Next Kagome's mother walked though the scanner buzzing as she passed. She looked confused and the security guard pointed to her ring, gesturing her to remove it. She looked down at it and back to the man shaking her head protecting it, covering it with her other hand and holding it close to her heart. The guard nodded and pointed for her to step to the side so that others could continue to go though as they waved the wand over her.

This hit InuYasha hard, reminded again that Kagome and her brother had to grow up without a father. He knew what it was like and how much it hurt, for everyone. He was also grateful that they still had someone to look out for them, again he felt indebted towards Mrs. Higurashi, for all she had done, and all she had given up. A small smile slipped onto his face as he thought about how much they still had and how Kagome would always have a home with her family no matter what. This comforted InuYasha, know she would always be safe, regardless of whatever happens…

Next Souta trotted though, happy as a clam, no problem, besides a passport he had nothing on him.

Kagome emptied her pockets and took off every thing but the jewel that was currently clasped securely around her neck. But the device still went off as she slipped though, she did this a few times until she slowly took the jewel off her neck and reluctantly placed it on the try. She then held her breath as she passed again and followed the jewel as well. She passed though with no problem and quickly took hold of the Shikon no Tama putting it safely around her neck again.

InuYasha nonchalantly slide in after Kagome and regrouped with the family as they started down the airport to the terminal they needed to be at. Their belongings had already been checked, and Kagome and InuYasha had an interesting time hiding the Tetsuigia from…everyone, but they managed to slip it in…and crossed their fingers that it would not be found in the US.

* * *

They now all relaxed a little bit not that they were at the right terminal. It was an hour till their flight so Kagome suggested that she and InuYasha went for a walk since they would be sitting for 7 hours. Her mother agreed and she slowly led InuYasha away.

He watched her curiously as she strode thought the loud crowded place. His transparent ears were flat against his head in an attempt to smother some of the noise, the hat was also helping but it still did next to nothing. What did do something was Kagome's spell, his hat was knocked off so many times there was _no_ was that his ears _wouldn't_ have been seen. He was going to have to be careful on the plane though, Kagome didn't have the energy to have them invisible all day…and the plane was the safest time.

They finally made it to a more secluded and quiet section of the airport, Kagome let out a sigh and sat down on one of the planter they had lining the glass walled hallway. Smiling she looked up at InuYasha-who was still standing-and let out a small laugh.

InuYasha gave her a strange look, "w-what?" he asked as he leaned over onto his leg.

"Nothing…it is just nice to catch a breather for a few moments…even if you have to go out of your way ten minuets to get there…" she laughed again.

The hanyou snuck a strange look at his companion, 'what is with her? She's all…'

Happy…

'Ye- wait! No, no, no! Don't you dare come back again and bother me!'

Touchy, touchy…I was only finishing your thought…

'Shut-it'

Fine…

"InuYasha…InuYasha…hello?"

The youkai returned to the present and shook his head

"N-nothing" he stuttered, embarrassed. Kagome just smiled and pulled him down to sit next to her, resting her head on his shoulder.

After a few minuets Kagome stood up, a true smile plastered openly on her face. "Come on…we better get back, my mom will get worried."

InuYasha nodded and followed silently.

When they returned the loudspeaker blared, "Terminal 6 flight #27688 from Tokyo, Japan to Los Angeles, California the United States of America will be boarding in 15 minuets"

Kagome smiled, "perfect timing…" she then continues to jog over to her awaiting family. InuYasha followed her more slowly as he watches the human grin at her family and then laugh. Her grandfather was still complaining about having to travel on a plane, and her brother was to excited for words he was jumping up and down holding his sisters arm a grin spread across his whole face, her mother was softly wondering if Buyo would be ok, with Hojo watching him he should be but she was still worried.

InuYasha smiled, maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all…

* * *

Passports checked, and tickets checked, they pulled their carry on items into the plane, Kagome had a backpack full of things to do, cards, paper, pencils, pens, a book, travel games (she had taught InuYasha how to play a few of them.), Souta also had a backpack, but it consisted of a gameboy, accessories for it, his CD player (Kagome left hers in her baggage because she knew she wouldn't need it) and a handful of CDs, and some colored pencils (Kagome had the paper and pencils), grandpa was carrying a bunch of wards and spell books, (Kagome and her mother both tried to persuade him otherwise but it wasn't going to happen) and Kagome's mother was carrying all the other necessities that they may need once they got into the new country, money, some maps, so forth InuYasha had lightened Mrs. Higurashi's load by taking the bag that had a spare change of clothes for everyone in it, she would still be carrying it, but InuYasha wouldn't let her have it back, so she finally gave in and let him carry it.

Their seats were at the front area of the coach, they were split up, Kagome and InuYasha were sitting closer to the wing, a few rows behind the rest of the family. InuYasha put the bag of clothes above where everyone else was staying, leaving room for whatever luggage the passenger that was sitting next to them had.

Kagome sat down calmly in the seat next to the window, and InuYasha flopped down next to her. Kagome laughed at his action, gaining her a look from the hanyou. Just as InuYasha was about to ask her 'what was so amazing' whena voice cut into their conversation.

"Is this seat taken?"

Both heads moved to see the speaker, he looked like a foreigner. "No, not that I know of." Kagome answered kindly.

The man smiled good naturedly, "thank you, well since we are going to have a long flight why don't we get to know each other a bit, what are your names?

Again it was Kagome who answered, "my name is Kagome and this is InuYasha." She pointed to her friend next to her.

He acknowledged and responded, "My name is Robert, nice to meet you, do you live in Tokyo?."

"Yup."

"I wish I met you on the way out here…could have given me a few pointers on things."

"So, you are a foreigner?"

"Yea, I'm from the US, I'm getting back from vacation."

"We are going to see family..."

"Where does your family live?"

Kagome laughed, "All over, we are taking a road trip…"

"What!"

This got inuyasha's attention, he glanced quickly over to the stranger "are you really?"

Kagome nodded, "yea really, we are traveling around to see everyone."

"By any chance is your last name Higurashi?"

Kagome blinked confused, "yea…"

He laughed and smiled kindly to her, "hi, I'm your uncle Robert"

Kagome froze, "w-what?"

InuYasha sniffed the air suspiciously and was surprised to find his scent resembled hers, not directly but it was close enough to prove he was a relative.

She glanced at her companion and he nodded, her mouth fell open.

Luckily the surprise was broken as the intercom went off, all passengers please fasten your seatbelts, we will be taking off momentarily.

Kagome buckled the belt across her waist and the other 2 did the same.

Her uncle turned back and smiled, where is my sister in law? I didn't see her earlier."

"Oh, mom is up in the front more with Souta and Grandpa."

He smiled, "after we take off I'll have to go see her"

* * *

Kagome smiled and glanced at InuYasha, who suddenly looked nervous to her.

"You ok?" asked softly

He barely caught what she had said, buts still did and nodded but continued to seem anxious.

The plane began to move, this did not help InuYasha in the least bit and by the time the plane was leaving the ground he was sinking into his seat.

After much persuasion Kagome got the hanyou to glance out the window, of course by now only water was below him. "Feh, what is so good about that?" but he couldn't stop his stomach from turning upside-down. Settling uncomfortably back into the seat, he noticed the seat next to him was still empty, 'Kagome's mom and uncle must like to talk…'

* * *

Kagome interrupted his thought when she yawned, it was around 11 and it had been a long day. She then made a move to pull up the armrest and lean on his shoulder but he shook her off and pulled her into his lap and she moved over to her seat so he could also lean on the side of the plane. Kagome blushed but didn't object, knowing both of them slept significantly better this way. Within minuets she was lulled to sleep by InuYasha's steady breathing.

Feeling his bladder contract, Robert slipped out of the conversation and made his way to the bathroom at the back of the plane. As he passed the pair of teenagers he glanced at them, doing a double take he raised his eyebrows and made a point to ask about that when he got back.

"How close are Kagome and InuYasha?"

"Huh"

"Your daughter and …"

"Ohh, they are pretty close, why?

"Are they married?"

"What? No, what makes you think that?"

"Kagome is sleeping on InuYasha's lap…"

She smiled, "they have been sleeping like that for some time now…I trust both of them, I have no problem with it, they are closer than anyone would realize. And they have been though a lot together…lets just leave it at that."

"H-"

"Just leave it alone…"

"Alright, so…"

The plane lunged, InuYasha tightened his hold on Kagome, his hat falling off in the progress.

The intercom sounded after the plane copied its earlier movements, " this is your captain speaking, we are experiencing some turbulance, please fasten your seatbelts and remain calm."

InuYasha's eyes opened slowly and he looked around. 'huh? What is going on?'

He woke up immediately as the plane jolted, and glanced down an Kagome who had too woken up from the disterbance. She looked around wildly and jumped when her name was called. "Kagome! InuYasha! You both need to buckle in, now!"

Kagome scrambled out of his lap and into the seat next to him.

"What is going on?" she asked her now present uncle.

"The captain just says its some turbulence, but its still safe to buckle up.

With that the pair bucked and then turned to look at each other, Kagome could tell he was worried. "You know that nothing is going to happen right?"

He nodded but still seemed uneasy, he was tense and his ears were twitching…his ears were twitching! CRAP! Kagome quickly located the fallen hat and thrust it onto his head glancing around worriedly, but everyone was still nervous about the turbulence to notice, Kagome let out a breath and relaxed gaining a strange look from both men, "what?" she asked defensively

InuYasha backed off calmly, and Kagome laughed

"This is your captain, I would like to inform you the flight is coming to an end, the turbulence should end soon so everything should be ok, but it would be good to stay in your seatbelts because of the landing, thank you for your cooperation."

"See," Kagome says smiling

InuYasha sighs and smiles, "yea whatever."

With that the landing went find and although InuYasha complained about his ears feeling funny on the way down, the plane ride was fine.

With that Kagome, InuYasha, and Uncle Robert went up to meet with the other 3 and enter into the airport.

* * *

A/N: Sorry…I kinda crashed and burned last night…got home at 8 and stayed up late enough to eat but that was it…and I laid down till I got food…so I was dead till the world…lol, anyway, k…next chapter they will officially be in the US…lol, fun!

K, lol, ttyl! Enjoy…sorry if it seemed a little awkward…


	15. Arrival

Chapter 15

Stepping into the terminal, they were officially in the united states…Kagome was VERY excited, "This is my first time in a foreign country! And it's America!" she manages to squeak out as she leapt up and down with more energy than InuYasha though possible…but this was Kagome…

They showed their passports and continued though the airport, Kai (Mrs. Higurashi) was calmly taking to her brother-in-law (is that the right term for your sister's husban?)as they traveled though the airport.

InuYasha let out a huge yawn and stretched to loosen his stiff muscles, but in yawning he exposed his fangs…Kagome noticed very quickly and elbowed him in the ribs…hard. The hanyou doubled over to protect his exposed stomach, "what the hell was that for?" he growled softly at Kagome. She had finished looking around to see if anyone had and seen (no one did) and whispered back thought gritted teeth, "you cant yawn like that in public…its to easy to see your fangs.."

"You're paranoid"

Kagome made a face at him, "Am not…I'm just cautious…"

"Whatever…"

* * *

Kai was now talking to Souta and her father-in-law. Grandpa seemed to be the only one not smiling. 

Robert looked back at the teenage pair behind him, they seemed to be quietly disagreeing…then InuYasha smirked and Kagome laughed then stuck her tongue out at him. InuYasha looked surprised and Kagome started laughing again.

Kai has told him to leave it alone…but something was…unnatural, he was so confused…those two…they were…different. He had know it as soon as he stepped onto the plane, he had sensed something then and it escalated as he moved closer to them, he was uneasy at first but once he found that she was his niece, he became curious…what was their significance? Why did the air seem warmer around then?

* * *

Souta ran to InuYasha jumping into his arms, "Inu-kun!" InuYasha jumped in surprise but caught him. "Mom said that you and Kagome should go get the luggage and she will meet us in front of the baggage claim doors…" 

InuYasha smiled at him, "Ok, are you coming with us?"

"Can I?"

"Of course…come on, Kagome do you know where we are going?"

Kagome can out of shock, "Y-yea, follow me" then she smiled

* * *

Robert watched the kids till Kai pulled him outside, "come on rob…" 

Kai and rob walked out to his car while Kagome's grandfather followed patiently, "thank you so much, you are really helping us out"

"Oh, no problem, its great to be able to help you guy out…oh, where are you guys staying?"

"Just at a hotel or something"

"You could stay with me, I'm sure that jenny would love to see you and so would the kids…Souta could play with Steven…they are about the same age…"

Kai's face brightened, "R-really? Are you sure it wouldn't be too much trouble, are you sure that jenny wouldn't mind?"

"No, its no trouble at all"

"Thank you so much, you have no idea how much I appreciate this, this is so great!" she then turned and hugged him, "Now come on, I'm sure that Souta is driving InuYasha crazy…"

* * *

"Oh there's one!" Souta yelled as the endless line of bags ran around the baggage claim. InuYasha grabbed it and with the help of the other two he was able to pry it away from the rest of the luggage. 

"How many more of these are there!" InuYasha complained

Kagome laughed, "just one more…"

Souta was bouncing up and down calling them over again…as InuYasha had just put the last bag down in the pile of their belongings, they both walked over to him.

"This is the last one…" InuYasha asked

"Yup" Kagome answered smirking

Souta was already pulling on it, and by the time InuYasha got to him he was able to just pull it out…

"Alright, now all we have to do is to pull this stuff outside…"

"Great…" Kagome responded rolling her eyes.

InuYasha smirked and grabbed two bags carrying them outside, while the other two dragged a bag each after them, and after 2 trips everything was outside.

"You tired Souta?" Kagome asked

"No…" he argued as his mouth opened on its own accord and he yawned, "I'm not tied.."

"Sure…we believe you…" she smirked

"I'm not tired and neither is InuYasha…see"

Kagome laughed ask she caught InuYasha yawning

"Well I guess that makes you both tired…" Kagome then beckoned Souta onto her lap as he pouted…but he scrambled up anyway.

InuYasha then leaned up next to Kagome and closed his eyes, Kagome looked at him curiously, 'What? He is acting…weird…what is up with him…' glancing over at his face, a vulnerable look rested comfortably on his face, Kagome blinked, surprised, that was an expression she had never seen before. She then smiled, waiting her family to come by.

* * *

Kai looked curiously outside, pointing her kids out, "over their" and Robert pulled over slowly parking the car and catching the kids attention to put the luggage away, letting them know that they could sleep as much as they wanted once they got to his house. 

They packed up and piled into the van, beginning the trip home, Kai sat in the front with her brother while Grandpa sat in the middle. The 3 kids sat in the back, Souta in the middle, curled up between the other two sleeping soundly, but it wasn't long before Kagome drifted off and InuYasha laid his head back and rested, until Rob turned around to tell them they where there.

* * *

InuYasha roused Kagome, and after she opened her eyes she went to wake Souta but InuYasha stopped her, cradling him against himself and softly leaping out of the vehicle, following the others into the house. 

"Hey Jenny, I'm home…guess who I found…"

Kagome's aunt walked into the hallway, "good I was getting worried-" jenny froze, "K-kai! Oh my goodness it is so good to see you!" she then ran past her husband and wrapped her sister in a very tight hug. "It's been so long! How have you been?"

Kai smiled, "Very well, and so are my kids..."

"Oh my gosh, is that you Kagome? You've gotten so big!

Kagome blinked, "huh, yea…oh" she smiled it's good to see you Aunt Jenny"

"Uhh, I hate to interrupt but Souta is getting kinda heavy…" the hanyou said bashfully

Kai apologized, "oh I'm so sorry…this is InuYasha"

The hanyou shifted Souta a little bit and extended his hand, and jenny shook it smiling, "it's nice to meet you…"

"You can put him on the couch for now"

"Thank you…" he then walked over to the living room and laid the kid down.

"oh my gosh, I am so rude…come in everyone…we can talk in the kitchen so we don't wake Souta" she then walked over to the back of the house

Following they all walked into the kitchen, "jenny I told Kai she could stay here and rest…do you have a problem with that?"

"Oh, no…I am so sorry I have not flown I awhile, I didn't even think about jetlag…well Souta is on the couch but he could sleep with Steven…that would leave the couch, and the guest room…I could set some sleeping bags on the floor if you would like…"

"Thank you so much.."

"I'll go bring Souta up…and you can decide who is going to be where…" InuYasha left the room with Robert who was going to show him where the room was…

"So who wants to sleep where?" Kai asked kindly

"I think grandpa should get the guest room, his back can take anything but sleeping in a bed…mom you can have the coach…I'll sleep on the floor with InuYasha…" Kagome mentioned

"Kagome…you shouldn't need to sleep on the floor-"

"Mom…its no big deal…I have slept on much worse then a carpeted floor…"

"Hey! I haven't made you sleep in that bad of conditions…" InuYasha interjected

Kagome laughed, "Yea, yea…but sleeping on a mattress every once and awhile is always nice…"

"Whatever…"

"Oh, InuYasha…you're hopeless" she sighed and then began to laugh.

"What?

"Nothing" she giggled as she started to help her aunt set up their make shift bed.

InuYasha yawned as he handed Kai a blanket, she smiled. "Tired InuYasha?"

He nodded, and then turned around to thank Kagome's Aunt.

"Your welcome…Kai could you help me with something?"

"Oh sure…" she then followed her into the kitchen.

Stiflingly another yawn InuYasha laid down, pulling Kagome with him. Kagome laughed quietly as he nuzzled her hair, tickling her. "st-stop" she begged

He smiled but did as she said…he was just so tired, he fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow under his head, Kagome wrapped in his arms.

'What is he doing? What if my aunt sees us?' Kagome slowly turned her head to say something, but stopped as soon as she saw his face. Deciding it wasn't worth is she just submitted to her exhaustion and fell asleep as her mother walked in.

* * *

"Kai, are you comfortable with them sleeping in the same room?" 

"Huh…oh, Kagome and InuYasha?"

"Yea…I could move one on them into another room…"

"Oh, no it's alright. Number one I trust both of them, they wont try anything…and number two they both wouldn't sleep at all if they weren't in the same room, those two kids have been though more than they should have…" Kai explained, fading out at the end.

"Ok…" Jenny apologized.

"It's alright"

"Would you like anything to drink?"

"Oh, no nothing…I think that I'll go to sleep now…I am exhausted…"

"Ok…"

They walked back into the living room to find the teenagers fast asleep comfortably settled in each other's arms. Mrs. Higurashi looked shocked, and Jenny almost asked a question, Kai answered it before she could vocalize it.

"I-I've never seen him so relaxed…he is always alert…always watching, looking out for everyone, always used to always having to watch his back…" she barely chocked out before tears began to roll down her cheeks, "he was always so strong…never backing down.." she laughed half-heartedly "he was always so stubborn…now, now look at him…he looks so-so vulnerable…so trusting…" Kai smiled…"he finally found a home…for the first time in his life he had found people who accept him and love him..."

Jenny watched her sister, what had happened to her since the last time she saw her? It had only been a few years…

Emotions still evident on her face Kai turned to her sister hugging her securely and wishing her a goodnight before falling asleep on the coach.

Slowly padding back to the kitchen she sat down, not able to go do anything but think with that running around in her head.

* * *

InuYasha woke a few hours later, eyes blinking open at the sound of footsteps on the stairs, satisfied with the sleep he got, he almost got up but remembered the girl in his arms and stayed where he was. He laid back down, thoughts swimming around and around in his head. 

By noon Kagome woke up too, she blinked, yawning, awake now she turned her attention to the hanyou to check if he was up yet. By the way he yawned behind her she figured that he was.

"Hey InuYasha?"

"Mmmmhhh"

"I wanted to ask you something…"

"What?" he asked curiously

"Why were you being so…nice...to my brother?"

"Huh?…oh…"then he fell silent

"InuYasha…"

"I've been so blind…I never realized it before…"

"What-"

"I should have seen it…I went thought it too…you, all of you…you all have grown up without a father…I didn't realize it…I was so ignorant, I didn't see it because I didn't want to…I tried to pretend it wasn't there because I reminded me of my past…"

Kagome just looked at him before smiling, "Thank you.."

InuYasha blinked, "Huh? For what?"

"For trusting me I guess, for feeling that that you can tell me things..."

"I…I realized how stupid I was being…I fighting off the only people who have ever cared about me…" InuYasha whispered ashamed.

"Hey…you have full right to try to protect yourself…you have been though so much…"

"No…it is no excuse…I have known you all long enough that I shouldn't have to protect myself from you…I'm just pushing you all away, pushing away the only people who have ever cared about me…and you have been thought so much as well…I have no right to complain…" the hanyou growled out becoming more and more aggravated with himself…

"InuYasha!" she said very sternly "listen to me…you may have don't some things that…weren't very productive…but…" her voice softened, "you can still make it right…"

* * *

haha…lol wow..that was more fluff and drama than I planned on but…whatever… lol anyway…THANK YOU ALL MY REVIEWERS!

By the way the family they are goingto see is from kai's side...and"grandpa"is fromher husband's side...k...I still havent figured a name out forhim...hmmmm better get on that...

Well first of all…yes I would have been harder…but I don't know how to get a passport so that kina killed it…so I just "got" the passports…lol and yes Jessica…I am in honors classes…active in both boy scouts and girl scouts…overly active in my church…and a "Nerd"…and damn proud of it! lol but that is no excuse for not updating for over 2 and a half months…oh well…well this is your Easter present…a new chapter… lent is over I can play DDR again… lol anyway thank you all! PLZ REVIEW! THANKS!

Lunar-kun .


	16. Hike

**Chapter 16**

"InuYasha here, stir this, I have to watch the eggs" Kagome told him

"How long should I stir it for?"

"Till it gets creamy…"

"…A-"

"Stir it slow…got it…"she scolded

"Yea, yea…"

"You're it!" Souta yells at Steven as they both tear though the kitchen, earning then disapproval from both Kagome and the adults. Laughing happily they ran back outside to continue their game.

"Well they are getting along well" Kagome mentioned smiling

"Almost too well…"InuYasha added smirking

Kagome laughed, "Point taken…be ready for the worst…" they both laughed as they finished cooking lunch.

* * *

"Wow, this looks delicious Kagome" 

"Don't thank me…InuYasha did a lot too…I only did the eggs and started the dessert…he made the rice and finished everything"

"Feh..." was all the hanyou uttered until Kagome jabbed him in the ribs, "What!" he defended.

"Your hopeless…"

"Wow, something smells good!" Robert said as he rounded the corner into the kitchen…he had just gotten up.

"InuYasha and Kagome cooked" Jenny said

"Really?" he asked surprised

"Yup" Kagome smiled

"Well then why areyou wasting time standing here…lets eat!"

"Men…" all the women muttered, then laughed at their common train of thought.

"Food!" yelled the two children as they jumped onto their seats, beginning to fill the plates in front of them.

Laughing everyone else sat down serving themselves, "so is everyone up to go for a trek around the city?"

Everyone's faces lit up, "yea!" Even InuYasha seemed interested.

"Are you guys interested in going for some hikes, or would you just like to spend the day in the park?"

InuYasha and Kagome looked at each other, "I wouldn't mind going on a hike…" they said in stereo with one another.

Kai laughed, "You wouldn't…"

"What do you see on a hike?" Souta asked curiously, never being on one made him wonder.

"Well that depends on what hike you take…but you normally will see some wildlife, and most hikes have wonderful view…it would be away from the city-"

"Really? Wow I wanna see!" never being out of Tokyo, Souta didn't know what it was like to be out in the woods.

"Ok, well then why don't we take you on one of out favorite hikes…it's a short one…just 4 miles round trip…and there is a beautiful lake at the top of the mountain. We love to go swim in it." Jenny commented

"Yea! We get to go swimming!"

Everyone laughed as they finished their food.

* * *

"Come on!" 

"Yea!" responded both kids running to the van

Everyone was packed into the vehicle, swimsuits under their clothes (and in the boys cases they wore trunks instead of shorts) so they could go swimming and relax after they got to the top.

Driving into the state park Souta was amazed, he had never seen so much vegetation in one place before. "look at all the trees mom!" the child exclaimed ecstatic.

Kai smiled, "Yes Souta, they are beautiful"

Both InuYasha and Kagome smiled, it felt nice to be back in the wilderness…even if it was a different era and even a different continent, it felt more like home then any other place…and "home" was being missed by more than one member of the group. But as the green trees quickly shot by the van, the overwhelming sense of homesickness dwindled and made it much easier to relax…

Pulling up in a turnoff the group leapt out of the car, Souta was spinning around while jumping up and down, he was absolutely ecstatic…it was so new to him, so foreign, and even he sensed that the older two adolescents were much more relieved and not as tense.

The turnoff overlooked a valley on one side, and the edge of the turnoff had a very steep cliff, which InuYasha was standing comfortable on, enjoying the wind as it washed over his face and blew his hair out behind him, making it appear weightless. Kagome walked over slowly and nudged him as she stepped up next to him, "hey, you ok? We have to get ready now…"

He turned to her and smiled, "yea…ok, I think if we waited much longer to start your brother might explode…"

Kagome laughed and rolled her eyes, "come on…we are getting a late start, we need to be back by sundown…let me rephrase that, the group needs to be back by sundown…" the last part she added when she saw InuYasha about to respond.

Everyone put on a backpack that had a towel in it, assorted snacks, a light jacket and water and Gatorade. The boys got away with just carrying their own water, the two teens carried their towels, and they would be carrying Kagome's grandfather's weight too but, he insisted that he stay home, he wanted to rest some more as well as call some people, he also insisted that he would be a nuisance to everyone and should not be going on hikes at his age, everyone finally stopped bothering him and let the old man stay home, but it was probably for the best.

They all began to pad softly on the less than well-beaten trail, Steven and Souta bounded along in front with Kagome and InuYasha holding then back so that the adults could stay reasonably close to them. After about a mile and a half Kagome made everyone take a water break, no one was tired yet, but it was good to regroup, the trail had gotten tricky a few times and between the wind and water, InuYasha had grown nervous that one of the groups had taken a wrong turn because the adult's scent had grown noticeably fainter more than once, but they always seemed to get to the same spot eventually.

"Kids have way to much energy," Uncle Robert joked as he rounded the bend and saw the kids sitting on a group of boulders waiting patiently for them, taking drinks and laughing.

Kai laughed, "Souta will be exhausted by the time we get back…but I can't say the same for the other two…"

"Huh? Why not? Do they hike a lot?" rob asked curious, knowing souta didnt...how would those two they also lived int he heart of tyoko...as far as he knew.

"You could say that- oh look at that lizard!" Kai exclaimed ending the conversation

Robert didn't bother Kai again on the walk up to lake, but that didn't stop his mind from turning over… he just had to know what was going on, they were hiding something…and it had to do with Kagome and InuYasha…'what happened? They weren't like this 3 years ago when we saw them, what is it about those two? Why do I feel like this is a dangerous topic to peruse?'

"Water?" his wife asking him if he wanted a drink shot his mind from where it was.

"Well, can we go now?" Souta asked anxious, he had so much energy, he loved everything about the woods…the quiet, the wildlife, the forest itself…it was all new to a kid who grew up in a megatropolis.

"Wow, he sounds like you," Kagome laughed as she noted Souta's hurriedness.

"Feh, at least he knows that we have to get somewhere by a certain time…"

"We'll make it back on time…cool off" at this InuYasha gave her a strange look, "it's an expression…it means loosen up…k?"

"Feh"

"You really are impossible…come on lets go, everyone is ready..."

They finished the trek up to the top fairly easily, Souta would have been tired but he had so much adrenaline running though him because he was almost to the top it didn't even bother him, Kai was a little bit winded, and Kagome and InuYasha raced each other to the top…Robert and Jenny kept their pace and laughed when the two teenagers competitively took off in an all out run.

* * *

"Souta, Steven, come on!" Kagome yelled as she stripped down t o her bathing suit. 

"InuYasha!" Souta yelled running at the hanyou trying to pull him the lake

"I don't think so…"he said picking the kid up and tossing him into the crystal clear lake. He then began to pull off his shirt (which still felt weird, why go swimming half naked?)

By the time the adults showed up everyone was slashing around in the secluded lake.

"Tag!" Steven yelled and began to swim away. Souta then whipped around and caught the unsuspecting Kagome.

"Hey!…ohhh InuYasha…" she smirked

"Ahh! Get away from me!" yelped the youkai

"Souta grab InuYasha!" Souta grabbed onto InuYasha's arm as he swam by not letting go

Struggling (since he learned how to swim a few days ago…) InuYasha flailed away from Kagome, but the girls superior grace and experience made it easy for her to catch him…and Souta wasn't helping.

The 4 kids danced around the lake a bit until Kagome finally decided she wanted to tag him…because taunting him was just as much fun…but the sec she touched him, the revered the hold Souta had and he now held the kid. "Ahhhh!" the boy yelled as InuYasha threw him over a ways.

"Wow…ohhh throw me next!" Steven pleaded

"Huh"

"Throw me! Throw me!" Steven yelled as he swam in front of the hanyou as Souta Surfaced. "WOW! That was SO much fun! Throw mw again!"

They were all happily tossed until Souta got the bright idea that InuYasha should throw Kagome "w-what?" he asked surprised

"Come on Kagome!" the pair yelled

"Its so much fun!" her brother reassured her…although his words did little

"It doesn't hurt!" Steven called

'Sure…now it doesn't but in a few hours…that is a different story…' Kagome scowled

"C'mon sis!" Souta yelled, InuYasha was sitting there in the water not sure what to do…not quite wanting to take sides…"but it would be kinda fun to throw Kagome…so if they get her over here...I guess I could throw her", her thought smirking.

The boys then swam over to Kagome and began to drag her over and she only fought then half-heartedly. "Guys…"she couldn't hold it in anymore…she started laughing, weakening her struggling.

By the time they got her over to the hanyou she was curled up and laughing so hard her eyes were tearing, but this did make it easy for InuYasha, if she was curled up he could toss her with ease.

Unfortunately for him just as he was about throw her she latched onto his arm, he shoved her off and tried again but she grabbed his other arm. He pulled her off again and turned her so she couldn't do that but instead she twisted her arm under his shoulder, antagonizing him still. This carried on for about 5 min before InuYasha just held her arms and legs and then threw her.

The boys cheered when Kagome was sent airborne, she untwisted herself from the way InuYasha was holding her and sprawled out, trying to prevent herself from traveling to far.

With a splash she disappeared under the crystal surface, emerging a short while later a threatening look on her face, "You better run cause I'm gonna get you!" she yelled as she started her approach on her prey.

The boys were well on their way to a large rock in the middle of the lake, lead by InuYasha.

The adults who were all on shore, feet in the water, were cracking up, all with tears in their eyes from laughing at the children's antics for the past few minuets.

* * *

They spent the rest of the afternoon jumping off a giant rock in the middle of the lake, having contest to see who could jump the highest, and farthest (I wonder who?) and they all loved to try new tricks, like spinning around, or doing a few motions to the Macarena. 

By the end of the day everyone was exhausted, but they still had to get down the mountain, I was going down so it would be faster and easier, but it was still a few miles.

"I can't walk," complained Steven

"I'm to tired" souta whined

"Yes, you can" Kai scolded

"But-"

"No buts"

"Ahhh, I'm tired though"

Seeing this was going nowhere InuYasha spoke up, "I'll make you a deal, if you walk halfway then I'll give you a ride the other half"

"Huh?"

"Deal? But you can't complain, you just have to do as your mother tells you. Go it? But only this once, you need to make sure you have enough energy next time."

"Yea!" Souta agreed

"What about me? I'm tired to" Steven whined

Before InuYasha could volunteer again Kagome spoke up, "I'll take you, but you have walk half…k?"

"Piggy back?"

"Sure"

"Yea!"

"Come on let's go!" the boys yelled as they ran down the mountain.

"Wait up guys!" The others yelled down after them

* * *

it was almost ¾ of the way down before the boys slowed down enough to get there rides. "Get on…" InuYasha instructed as the elementary school kids got on and smiled 

InuYasha had already scolded Kagome for saying that she would take Steven, he could have done it, carried one of then first and the other second. But Kagome yelled at him for underestimating her, but Kagome had been thinking, he had been acting so level headed and been so courteous everyone. Just as Kagome was getting tired they stumbled into the turnout.

"Yea! We're back!" Steven yelled and squirmed so that he could get down, running to the car. The adults arrived a little while later, "So, who is up for dinner?" rob asked

A mixed chorus of "me" rang out, some excited, some tired, some interested, and one amused. "Come on then…lets go"

* * *

Well that was interesting…oh by the way it is 7 in the morning…I was up all night typing this so it probably has its grammatical flaws…so yea and I was actually doing about six other things so I was not only doing this…and my media player decided to act funny on me…oh and yea some of you were wondering why Kagome's uncle wont drop it? well number one hae yu ever gotten that feeling that you have to know something? Even against your better judgment…well yea that has something to do with it, and that is how MY family would do that…they are that way…I mean don't ever get me wrong…I LOVE them all very much but yea they can be that way…oh yea all of this story is based on experiences I have had…so yea, all the hikes and stuff they go on…they all exist…maybe not exactly but yea…like this one there was a 3 mile, one way hike up to a crystal clear lake at the top of a mountain but it was in Sequoia and not in the regional park…although I love some of the hikes up there… plz review! I REALLY appriciate it! 

Lunar :)

PS...I had this finished 2 days ago but fanfiction would not let me post it...so yea...lol sorry about that...hope you enjoyed... :) now i have to go finish my research project...lol


	17. Pizza and Spoons?

_YEA! I FINISHED! Evil research project is DONE! Sorry I spent hours and hours working on it…this last weekend, I only slept for 3 hours on Saturday night, other wise I didn't…I was volunteering all day and then at night I would do my project…now this wouldn't be so bad but I had a book chat (book report) due the same day! (by the same teacher!) Grrrr anyway I can get to writing now…since I have that out of my way…-.-'_

**Chapter 17: Pizza and Spoons?**

"Ok, we're home guys!" Robert called out from the driver's seat. Both Souta and Steven were napping in the back (I don't know why since they only walked halfway back…)

Kagome and InuYasha prodded the boys waking then up gently, "hey guys we're home" the both whispered, but as soon as the boys woke they were anything but quiet. Both seemed to become aware at the same second, "race you inside!" Steven challenged

But Souta wasn't to be outdone, shooing out the door before Steven, both boys ran inside laughing loudly. The two teenagers were covering their ears and still wincing, "were they really asleep?" Kagome asked, curious if she tricked.

"I thought so…but they make me wonder about a lot of things…"

Kagome laughed, "You're right…come on…we might miss something else…"

Smirking InuYasha followed Kagome and the rest of the adults inside, and was meet with the sight of Souta and Steven running around the living room, Kagome's Grandfather, Kar running around after them, scolding them.

Both Kagome and InuYasha smirked and laughed, "Come on Souta, it's so nice outside, why don't you go play outside?"

"Ok sis!" came his reply, then he dashed toward the back, Steven not far behind.

"So who wants dinner, I was thinking that we introduce then to good ol' American Pizza." Rob suggested

Kai didn't argue and neither did Kar (great another "K"…ok is name I actually Jiji…but I don't like that name personally…and am too lazy to type it…it feels weird…lol, sorry)

"I'll go pick it up, and I'll bring the kids" Jenny suggested.

"Sounds good to me, have then rent a movie too, that we could watch it after dinner, relax a little." Rob said.

"Alright" she said, then called the kids, and left.

InuYasha plopped down on the couch, Kagome following his action, leaning against his shoulder for support. Everyone else had gone into the kitchen so they were all alone. "It was so nice to be back out in the fresh air…didn't realize I missed it so much…"

"Yea, it was nice to be back…"

"You know…you can say things…you don't have to just stay quiet…I know you want to say something…"

InuYasha's face twisted, "I don't know…I was so refreshing to be back in the woods, but it was different, almost like we were back with Sango and Miroku…and Shippo."

Kagome smiled, "I know…i miss them too... i'm not used to feeling so alone..."

"Huh?"

Kagome laughed, and then they both fell into a comfortable silenced.

* * *

Little did the two know they were being watched with a few pairs of eyes. 

"Pizza's here!" yelled the kids as hey stormed thought the house, breaking the calm quiet atmosphere. Running thought the house carrying the food; Aunt Jenny followed them calmly closing the door softly.

"This is a pizza," proclaimed Robert as he bit into a large slice of garbage pizza. (I think you all know it as "supreme" but I grew up with it being garbage pizza so that is what I am gonna call it…) jenny rolled her eyes and handed Kai and Kar a plate, the boys were both already gnawing at the hot pepperoni pizza. Kai tried the pepperoni as well, she had never had it before. Kar and Kagome both stuck with cheese, but InuYasha looked on confused.

Kagome smiled and served him a slice of cheese, "here try this, then if you like it you can try it with a topping…"

The hanyou eyes the food suspiciously, then sniffed it, Kagome couldn't handle it anymore, and she started laughing. InuYasha turned his attention to her, but this only seemed to make her laugh harder, a confused look passed over his face but by now Kagome was gone. The girl plopped down on the floor and just laughed, after a few minuets tears began to form in her eyes. InuYasha was surprised, her scent said she was happy, but the tears on her face said otherwise…then he remembered what she had told him when he had first come to her time for the trip.

He was then agitated, "what's so funny!"

Kagome was in the middle of coming up an answer when she remembered she had other in the room, who were all watching her. "No-nothing, I-I guess I am just tired." She stammered before she started to giggle a bit before she quieted down.

"Wow! This is so good!" Souta complimented. Smiling Kai smiled at him, "yes this is good…"

The residents smiled, "I am glad you all are enjoying it"

"Yes! Thank you very much!" Kagome compliments

And even InuYasha nodded his head after nibbling on the strange food. Kagome smiled 'thanks Yasha…see it isn't as hard as you thought…"

By now it was a good time into the evening, jenny finally got a good idea

"Hey, does anyone want to play Spoons?"

The four Higurashis and InuYasha looked at their aunt, "spoons?" They all asked at once.

"Yea!" yelled Steven happily

"What is it?" asked Souta

"It's a game," he answered simply

"What _kind_ of game?" he asked curious

"A card game!"

"What is a card game?" asked InuYasha, making Kagome jump, then smile

"Well you play by passing cards around the table and try to get 4 of a kind and then take a spoon, and if you see anyone else take a spoon try to pick one up yourself! But don't be the last person, if you don't get a spoon then you have to do something funny, like sing "Row, row, row your boat!" the kid finished smiling widely

"What is "Row, row, row your boat"?" InuYasha and Kagome asked genuinely confused.

"Huh? Oh it is a song, its simple…didn't you learn it as a kid?" Steven asked

"It's like those nursery rhymes that I taught you and Souta as kids." Kai said smiling

"Ohhhh, that type of thing!" Kagome exclaimed but her face fell as she saw the look in her friend's eyes.

InuYasha's eyes betrayed his face, he had a façade up again, just like he had when she had first met him, but Kagome could now see though it. his eyes were full of sadness and regret, fear and pain. Kagome caught his gaze, his eyes widened and he looked away ashamed. "I-I have to go to the bathroom…" he mumbled and left the room in a hurry.

Worried, Kagome started to go after him but froze, glancing back at her mother with a pleading look. Her mother gave her a small nod and she nodded back at her, then took off after her friend.

* * *

"InuYasha?" she whispered, "InuYasha? Where are you? Come on…AH!" she squeaked as a hand fell on her shoulder. Whipping around he met InuYasha's eyes, a range of emotions swirling within them. 

Kagome staggered, his fierce amber eyes pierced her, searching her, opening her soul. But before she could fall away his arm snaked around her and pulled her into a tight hug.

Everything froze, movement, thought, time.

Kagome didn't know what to think…he had never hugged her like that before, he had hugged her before he pushed her down the well, but this was different…it wasn't a goodbye, it was a plea, a thank you.

InuYasha was not sure himself why he had embraced her, it was instinct, subconscious. She was the only one who had ever followed him, gone to make sure he was all right, especially when he was suffering. Being mate of the demon lord, his mother wasn't there for him as much as she should have been, and he almost never saw his father…whenever the other demons picked on him or when he fell, no one cared, on one checked on him…but Kagome she always followed him…no matter what, even when he didn't want her to…

Then something happened that surprised the hanyou even more, a single tear rolled down his cheek, warm, wet, salty, it trailed down his face, dropping off and splashing down onto the back of Kagome's neck.

Kagome shuttered and suddenly looked up. "InuYasha?" she cried, alarmed and worried.

"They were never around…they were always so busy…" he whispered, afraid…

"Kagome's eyes began to tear, "but we are…everyone is here for you now… Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Keade…"

InuYasha stiffened, she had left off her name

But Kagome wasn't done, "and I'm here for you…whenever you need it, you don't need to be afraid of us, me, my family we all love you…" Kagome let out a soft giggle, "and my Mom thinks of you as her own kid, so don't fear her…she'll help you out…just ask...alright?"

The way the light danced off both of their eyes they both looked molten, and the emotion that swelled within each one seemed to melt together.

InuYasha gave a soft smile, causing Kagome to grin widely, "thanks" he whispered so low that Kagome barley caught it…although she didn't think she actually heard it…she just knew what he was saying…no words were needed…and with that the two stepped into the kitchen again and joined the excited, bubbling, _loud_ gave of Spoons.

* * *

"Oh! InuYasha lost!" Souta yelled some time later "You have to do something funny!" 

The hanyou paled, but before he had time to get too nervous Kagome pulled him up and over more into the open area of the kitchen. "Ok we are going to do the "hokey pokey"" Kagome announced, "Since InuYasha has never done this before, I'm going to teach him, its really simple, just follow my lead and do as I say ok?" she whispered the last part to her partner.

"Alright…put your left foot in, put your left foot out, put your left foot in and shake it all about!" Kagome sang slowly and deliberately, and while she did so she moved her foot back and forth, having InuYasha follow her. Kagome then continued, "You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about!" she chanted turning around, hands in the air then clapping at the end, and in-between the verse she beckoned Souta, "Come on Souta…you know the hokey pokey!" smiling he scrambled over, "hey I wanna do it too!" called Steven

And a verse more in Souta called his mom, "hey mom, do the hokey pokey with us!" he pleaded, and smiling Kai got up and joined then

Soon jenny and rob had joined the dance and they even got Kar to be included in the circle.

So there they were, laughing, smiling, jumping, shaking, making idiots out of themselves, and having the time of their lives! All previous moments of sorrow and uncertainty gone the room was alive and the laughing could be heard from a block away even InuYasha joined in with everyone else.

Times like there are the ones that shape a person, and InuYasha was reminded again why Kagome was the way she was, but, they are the also the things that help heal a wounded heart, and piece by piece the hanyou's had started to reform after being shattered twice…Kagome had picked up all the little pieces that previously forgotten and over the past few years put them back where they belonged…and it was about time _he_ allowed himself to heal…instead of fighting the very think that saved him. Wounds that run deep take long to heal, but they can only be mended once they are allowed to heal.

* * *

Ok so it is kinda short...ok ok REALLY short…but I wanted to get it done…and that is it for this chapter's plot line…I thought I would take longer…oh well… lol what did you all think? Lol PLEASE REVIEW! I need it! Oh, I have a new story…check it out…it is just a little one shot (that I did on a fly at midnight...but we are over that! anyway) 

Its called Kick it up and it is when Kagome drags Yasha to her time (again) and they stop in the arcade…they Karaoke starts…anything can happen… its cute…check it out! PLEASE! This one I REALLY need reviews on…-.-' yea lol thanks a lot guys!

Oh and my best friend (Beebo Kai Evans) started her first ongoing series…its called Soul Switch…very cute…I LOVE the first chapter! It rocks! "What happens when the Inu-gang almost gets their souls sucked out...and their souls get a little ahem lost on the way back to their bodies..."-summary…lol its cute…thank you so much you guys! I'll have the next chapter up soon… it gets really interesting next chapter that should keep you waiting .

Thanks again guys! _Lunar-kun_ :)


	18. Trouble

Chapter 18

Yawning, InuYasha took a deep breath of Kagome's scent, causing him to blink awake, it was still slightly early, and the whole family(s) was still sleeping. The hanyou was about to relax and go back to sleep comfortably next to Kagome, but something caught his attention, he didn't see it, of smell it, of hear it…he just knew it was there, and it did not bode well with him.

Slipping gently away form Kagome, the hanyou got up and explored the house looking for anything suspicious…but found nothing, and that almost bothered him more. He sat down on one of the kitchen chairs, thinking about the previous night.

This was one of the only places that accepted him, Kagome, he got to know others and get close to people, make friends, become part of a family…it was because of her…because she gave him a chance, because she cared, because she didn't let him run away…in the end she had save him…from his worst enemy…himself.

"Hey InuYasha," a voice cut like a knife though his thoughts

The hanyou fell of the chair he was sitting in and landed in a disheveled heap on the floor.

"Ah, you ok?" Robert asked as he knelt down to help the teen.

Scowling, InuYasha almost batted his hand away, but stopped, "I'm fine," he muttered but took Roberts hand, suddenly remembering to bury his ears into his hair. The hanyou froze as the human strolled over to the kitchen sink, 'he didn't see me, at least I don't think he did…Kagome is going to kill me…'

"Hey Yasha"

The hanyou's attention moved to Kagome's uncle at the use of his nickname, "huh?"

"Oh, is that ok? Can I call you that? InuYasha is kinda long and Americans like things short…so can I call you that?"

"Oh…yea sure, I don't really care what you call me…"

"Thanks, I was gonna make breakfast do you want some?"

At that moment, something caught his attention, the same thing that woke him up, that foreboding presence that worried him earlier.

Seeing the silver haired boy go ridged, Robert became concerned…and curious. "Hey, Yasha? Yasha?"

His eyes widening he was brought back to reality, "huh? Oh yea, sure…and could you make some for Kagome too, I'm gonna go wake her up."

"Oh you don't have to do that, we were all going to sleep in today"

"I have to ask her something,"

"It can wait a few hours cant it?"

"I hope it can, but I can't take that chance."

The look on Yasha's face startled Robert, he was serious, this was important, his eyes held wisdom though painful experience and his expression was etched with concern.

Curiosity drove him and Robert crept around the corner to watch the pair of teens.

* * *

InuYasha softly padded over to Kagome and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, his eyes worried, his voice apologetic, "Kagome, Kagome, Wake up…" 

She groaned softly and her eyes opened reluctantly, as if her eyelids themselves didn't want to move. After attempting to open her eyes a few times she gave up, "mhmmmm what?" she mumbled still tired

"Something is up…I need you to see if you can sense the Shikon jewel around here…" he whispered worriedly.

Suddenly Kagome was really awake, "What? What happened? Is everyone OK? Is-"

InuYasha cut her off, "calm down, everyone is ok…its just…I've been sensing something…and this morning I thought I caught a scent…"

"A-alright.." she closed her eyes and tried to block out all the disturbances around her trying to catch a trace of something…anything…something in his voice made her worry.

An apologetic look occupied her face as she looked back up at him, "no…I couldn't sense anything…"

Letting out an aggravated sigh, InuYasha looked back up to her, "sorry for getting you up…maybe I'm just paranoid…"

"No, no… its fine…I was getting up anyway!" she smiled and tried to reassure him

"Liar…you didn't want to move until I mentioned the jewel…" he shot back flatly.

Sweatdroping she smiled at him…"ok, fine but I'm up now so I might as well get moving…"

"Fine…"

Grabbing some clothes out of her bag she began to walk towards the bathroom to change, "Kagome…" she looked back at him "don't let your guard down…I still think that something is up.." her warned her before turning away and returning to the kitchen leaving Kagome standing in surprise..

'Is he really that worried? What is going on? Why is he telling me to watch out? He is usually so cocky and says he'll handle it…' for a few moments she just stands there contemplating what he just said, before going and getting dressed

* * *

InuYasha walked into the kitchen to find Robert pulling some hash browns out of the oven, he had walked back into the room after Kagome had gotten up to get dressed…and although he could not heard all of what they were saying he did catch some of it…"Shikon Jewel, anything happen, sensing, scent, no, sorry, Paranoid….that was about all he got and it confused him, 'what is a Shikon Jewel? Sense? Paranoid? About what?' but the few words he caught were not what made him so curious…it was the look on their faces…they were both so intense, first InuYasha's was more than just concerned…something else was there…Kagome looked surprised if not suddenly very protective…but as they talked there expressions softened…but there was still a very obvious look in both there eyes…and ask InuYasha walked into the room he tried to mask it but it was still there… 

"Hey, Robert, when do you think that everyone else will be up?" he asked as Robert as placed another egg onto the frying pan.

"Depends…"

"Ok…so we don't have plans for today?"

"Not really but we can just go out today…that wouldn't hurt…besides I think that Kagome's mom and my wife would like to go shopping…"

"Ok…" he said then looked down…

"What is the matter?" Rob asked the teen

Surprised InuYasha looked back up, his mask was back up…he didn't even think about it…he had had to protect himself for too long…and they were still strangers…he even did it to Mrs. Higurashi sometimes, the only one he didn't do it to without thinking was Kagome…mind you he still did it to her...but she always seemed to see thought it if she wanted to…so there was little point with her… "No-nothing…I'm fine…" she became quiet again.

"Are you sure? Why did you get Kagome up? You looked worried about something…"

"I did?" he pretended to be surprised, "no, I'm fine, I just had to ask her were she put something…"

Robert knew he was lying but he had a feeling that this was not some thing to pry into without being ready to take the consequences of the outcome.

* * *

Kagome walked in a little bit later a smile on her face and but it lovered as she watched the 2 males that were in the kitchen, her uncle looked like guilty…like he had done something wrong and her best friend had a mask on his face…she frowned 'when is he going to learn to trust people? We all don't want to hurt him…' 

InuYasha looked up at Kagome his face relaxing and a natural expression taking over. "Hey, so far we aren't doing anything but you uncle says that your mom and you aunt want to go shopping…"

She smiled, he had relaxed…"Alright…but I don't think they will be up for awhile…they were up late joking around last night" she mentioned with a giggle and sat down next to the hanyou and taking an egg and hash brown on her plate.

After some small talk, just about everyone was up…a short while later Steven and Souta had gotten up and not very many people can sleep though that…

* * *

It was lunch and everyone was at the table eating sandwiches and joking about yesterday when they were playing in the lake. Even InuYasha was enjoying himself…that is until he sensed the demon again, he went stiff and zoned everything else out but his sense of smell and sight… 

Kagome noticed this and watched him, realizing he had felt something she did the same and was awarded with a chill running down her spine…something was here

First he smelled it…it was like nothing he had smelled before…but then he saw it…at least part of it…it was fast. He stood up suddenly, his eyes scanning the room, everyone had gotten silent and were watching him, "Inu-" Kai asked, knowing something was wrong. But she stoped as he hurried out of the room with almost a fritened look in his eyes…but it wasn't fear for ones self, it was fear for others. And sputting aside her worry, Kai smiled.

Kagome seeing him stand suddenly became worried, as he began to walk away she quickly bowed to her mother looking her in the eyes asked to be excused, her mother gave a slight movement and Kagome followed on InuYasha's heels.

Once the two left everyone looked around, "did we say something?" Jenny asked concerned

"No" Kai said as she took another bite of her sandwich.

"Huh?" everyone said in unison "what do you mean? What was it?"

"InuYasha was worried…that is all, and Kagome is as well…" her eyes suddenly became ridged and serious, "I just hope they are careful-"

"You don't mean!" Kar asked "no! You can't let them-"

This time it was Kar's turn to get cut off, "but I am…I trust both of them…and so should you…how long have they been doing this?"

Looking down Kar mumbled an incoherent response

"See-"

"I still don't want my granddaughter parading around with that-"

"Kar!" Kai yelled angrily "Kagome trusts InuYasha with her life…and for good reason do not even bring that up you have no right!"

"Yea," Souta helped, "InuYasha is awesome…and he has saved both Kagome and my life…if it wasn't for him we-"

'That's it!" Robert thought, 'that is why they are so close…that is why they relax so much around each other…'

"If it weren't for him you wouldn't have even in that situation!" Kar responded

"No! If it wasn't for him you would be dead too…"

"That is enough…regardless of what you think it is my decision on what I allow and don't allow my daughter to do…this discussion is closed, understand." Kai noticed how close they had come to saying to much for the last time…and she did not like them arguing over whether or not she allowed the pair to do what they would do anyway…

"bu-" Kar started but was stopped by the icy look shot to him by his daughter

The whole family was staring at them, and just then Kagome and InuYasha walked in, both looking curiously at everyone.

* * *

"InuYasha!" Kagome whispered fiercely "what is it? I don't sense the jewel, but I did sense something…" 

"A demon," he said bluntly

She stopped, "Really? Here?"

"Yea…that is why I'm going to get Tetsuiga, I don't know how strong it is…probably wont be but if there is one…then there is a pretty good chance there are others…"

"Ok…do you think they are after the jewel?" she asked as they walked into the room her mothers things were in and pulled out the sword.

"I hope not…but demons are instinctually drawn to it so it would be safe to assume so…even if they don't know of its existence, they can still sense power…"

"Right, how are you going to carry that around? You can't carry it in plain sight…"

"Then what do we do?

"Here…those pants are big enough you can wear it on the inside of them…"

"What?"

Kagome laughed…"you don't want to leave it right?"

"No" he grumbled and then adjusted it against his leg with some help from Kagome, they ended up tying the bottom of the sheath to his leg as well as the top to get it to stay.

Laughing they finally got it so that it wasn't visible, but then Kagome asked, "is there a way for me to carry my bow?

"Huh?"

"My bow? Is there a way to bring it?"

InuYasha stared off into space trying to think of a way to transport the oversized weapon.

After a few moments, Kagome spoke up, "well I can carry my bow around and say I bought while shopping…or I had to get it restrung or something but we can hid my arrows in my backpack…"

"Will that work?"

"We'll only know if we try"

"Ok…" InuYasha finished and they packed her bag so her arrows were accessible and hidden.

"Well, now that that is done, why done we go see what they are doing downstairs," Kagome suggested, neither of them aware of the argument that had taken place, being so concentrated on the problem at hand.

The two content teens walked into the room blissfully ignorant and stared inquisitively at them, the looks on their faces were confusing to them.

"Ahhh, guys? Are you ok?" Kagome asked

"Huh?" Kar asked and then turned around, Kagome was standing there, Bow over her shoulder and backpack on, and InuYasha standing next to her, patting his leg a few times so that he and Kai got the idea, Kai nodded and smiled while Kar grew aggravated again,

"Young lady…I forbid you to carry that around with you!" he fumed

"Kar" Kai scolded

"Don't worry grandpa, I saw a sports store down in the shopping area and figured I could get it restrung…"

Robert and jenny were both completely lost and looked at them curiously, "Kagome is in the archery club at school and she figured she could get some practice in while she was here" hearing this Robert didn't know what to think…there was something more…but why did it seem so complicated with those two…

"So, is everyone ready to go?" Kagome asked

"Yup" Jenny answered contently, "Why don't we all go shopping, you can all go get souvenirs…"

"Yea!" yelled Souta

With that, they all ran outside while jenny cleaned up the remainders of dinner, all in different moods, Kar was annoyed, Kai content, Souta excited and hoping to get to see his sister shoot, Steven completely lost but in a good mood regardless of all the fighting, Robert suspicious, Jenny curious, Kagome worried, ready, and InuYasha was worried and very protective of his company at the moment, hoping beyond hope he was wrong.

* * *

The day had gone rather smoothly, and the argument from earlier was forgotten (by all but Kar) even the paranoid hanyou had relaxed, assuming he was imagined it, they were on their was to eat when they were passing a construction area, "what are they doing here?" Kai asked 

"Oh, they are widening the street, and because some buildings were close to the road they are being torn down…do you know…" Jenny commented her voice fading for InuYasha's mind as he suddenly was able to sense the demon again.

He froze, his ears straining, his molten eyes swiftly looking back and forth, scanning the area. Kagome noticed and tried to locate it as well, only to be awarded with a chill down her spine again.

It took the rest of the family, who was deep in conversation, a few more steps to notice the two older children had stopped and gone deadly ridged. Kai saw her daughter and who she thought of as a son, standing there, both pairs of eyes dancing from the streetlights and full of powerful emotions, they seemed to be in perfect sync, as if there were one, and what happened in the next few seconds seemed to be in slow motion as both the teenagers moved at the same exact second.

InuYasha saw the damn thing before he smelled it, it was right behind Kagome's family…looking like they looked as tasty as a turkey on thanksgiving night. Both he and Kagome saw it, at the exact same second, both leaping forward at the same time, Kagome leaping at her family to get them out of the way, while InuYasha leapt at the demon, stopping it from harming the family.

"Move!" Kagome yelled as she jumped upon her brother and mother, pushing them both out of the way and roughly onto the ground.

InuYasha locked claws with the demon, surprising him and knocking him into the construction area, (which is conveniently located right there…) leaping after it, with Kagome close behind him.

The six of them sat dumbly on the sidewalk, not having any idea what had happened, and the street traffic seemed to go on, taking no notice to the event. "w-wh-what was that?" Robert spluttered out.

Kai was still on the ground, breathing shallowly, "Kagome, be carful, don't let InuYasha get into trouble…." She whispered.

"InuYasha!" Souta yelled and squeezed between the fence following his sister and hero.

"Souta!" Steven cried and followed him and the parents followed the kids

Swiping at the demon InuYasha cursed, he was just to fast…there was no way to hit him like this…he began to pull out his sword but a familiar cry stopped him, "you cant use Tetsuiga, InuYasha…it's too dangerous!"

"What!"

"You would hurt too many people!"

"Damnit!" he cursed as the reptilian creature clawed his arm, drawing blood that dripped steadily down his arm, and falling into a pool next to his feet.

The demon chuckled, "I can smell it in you, your dirty blood…we just cant seem to get rid of you…I take it you're not from around here…"

"Huh?" both Kagome and InuYasha asked.

"I would know you if you were…or should I say I would've…half breeds don't last long in this part of town…" the demon chuckled

The hanyou growled, "bastard…"

"Personally, I don't see why demon have anything to do with humans…filthy, stupid creatures…but I guess dirty blood is drawn to dirty blood…"

This just absolutely pissed InuYasha off…" don you EVER say anything like that to Kagome again…you won't live to regret it…"

"Is that so half-breed?"

InuYasha just stared intently into his eyes, "fine then…show me-"

The demon then lunged at InuYasha and he threw his sword up in front of him defending himself and knocking the demon away.

Landing gracefully and standing up the demon continued to talk, "I don't know what it is you have that entices me so but something has drawn me to you…what do you posses that attracted my attention…"

"None of your business!" InuYasha snapped back

"Have it your way…I'll find out in the end anyway…"

* * *

"What is going on?" 

"How did he jump that high?"

"Where did InuYasha get that sword from?"

"Why is Kagome pointing an arrow at them?"

"What are they saying?" everyone asked at once, so noe of the questions were coherent...and even if they were Kai was not paying attention to her family but to her daughter and InuYasha.

"Shhhh, I can't hear with you talking…"

"He brought Tetsuiga? Awesome!"

"Kagome, InuYasha, you two better be careful…"

"Kai! What is going on!"

"Shhhh, I'll tell you later!"

"Kai!"

"Just watch them…" she wispered more harshly than intended

* * *

Blood flew from both opponents, as they two fought, and as they continued to fight the demon hadn't realized Kagome had an arrow pointed at it's head yet…he barely realized she was there…the demon came in again and she released, the arrow glowed and flew gracefully towards it's mark…but a glowing arrow does attract some attention and upon seeing it the demon changed his position as fast as he could, making the hit non-fatal. 

"Shit! What the hell was that!" cried the wounded demon surprised

"That…was Kagome" InuYasha smirked, sidestepping to reveal Kagome back into position to shoot another arrow, her face straight, her eyes deadly serious.

"Wha-what! But she's only human! How can she!"

"She's not just any human…she's a Miko…"

The demons eyes widened, "bu-but they all died out hundreds of years ago! Ho-how!"

"You said yourself we aren't from around here…" with that the hanyou jumped up swinging Tetsuiga down on the demon, who quickly dodged it and sped towards Kagome.

"Kagome!" InuYasha yelled and leapt at the demon again knocking him off course, but then he saw the rest of the family and with a sickening smile he changed direction and speed off to attack everyone

"I don't think so!" the hanyou yelled defiantly as he was suddenly in front of the demon protecting Kagome's family, his eyes cold and angry. Then he smirked, and as Kar saw his face a chill went down his spine. The look on his face was not something he wore often and it was strange to see it sitting on his face, but then again Kar had never seen InuYasha fight protectively before.

"Kagome! NOW!" he called and a sacred arrow shot from her bow and struck the demon in the arm fully disintegrating it.

Whirling around enraged, the demon attacked Kagome "Who are you! And what do you posses that gives you such power!" he yelled angrily

"Kagome Higurashi, guardian of the Shikon no Tama" she responded before releasing another arrow

Right before the demon was destroyed with the arrow his eyes widened in shock

Kagome let out a sigh as she lowered her bow, and InuYasha smiled at her as he sheathed his sword and walked over to her. "Nice job…just watch out" inuyasha instructed her in a softer tone "…since we now know they can sense it for sure, we have to be on guard…"

Kagome nodded "alright…here let me fix you up…you took a bit of a beating out there…"

"I'll be fine…"

"I don't care…" she reputed becoming just as stubborn as he

* * *

The family stood dumfounded at the fence, not one of them knew what to think…fist they see the two teens with superhuman powers and now they were just attacked...then could have been killed adn then saves by the teens...somthing definatly up and they wanted to know... 

"Kai…" jenny threatened, "What aren't you telling us?"

"Well…you see…about that…" Kai sweatdropped "it's kinda a long story…"

* * *

Sorry it took so long….grrrrr I cant believe that took so long…between getting sick, confirmations and first holy communions and statewide testing I have had no time to get on the computer let alone type this up…although I knew what I wanted to type I just didn't have the time (and the fact that it is a bit long (12 pages)didn't help…I actually was gonna go longer but I cut a bunch out… ') any thanks guys for reviewing I REALLY appreciate it! and I REALLY, REALLY need review for my sad little once-shot…please review that! Thanks a lot guys! 

Lunar kun :)


	19. Explanations

Chapter 19

Kagome and InuYasha stood in the construction site letting out a breath the both didn't know they were holding, and after a few seconds looked around and realized that Kagome's family was right there…I mean they knew they were there…but it didn't penetrate until then.

'Crap! Now what? Oh yea lets just tell them "oh yea they do this all the time…they go back in tile to collect a jewel that evil demons are after, InuYasha is a hanyou and Kagome is a miko." That'll go over well' InuYasha scowled to himself

'Ahhh, we are in trouble now…' but as it started to sink in she began to panic, 'what if they reject us? What if they tell the rest of the family? What if hate InuYasha and he recedes again? Wh-wha-' her thought were suddenly cut short when a soft blackness ran over hare mind, and she passed out

Seeing Kagome panic and then become faint he hurried over to her and caught her before she fell roughly to the ground. 'Dammit this cant get any worse can it?' he knew Kagome was stressed out and understood why she passed out but this didn't help the situation. Picking her up so his arms here under her knees and behind her back with her head resting on his torso he took a deep breath and walked over to where Kai was an affectionate annoyance dancing around his eyes…he knew she was worried regardless of the predicament they were in.

And as he crept closer and closer he became more and more anxious, and his eyes began to swirl with fear and he just about jumped clear out of his skin when both Steven and Souta leapt at him smiling broadly.

"That was AWESOME!"

"How did your sword get so big?"

"Wasn't sis great!"

"What was that thing?"

"Why did it attack you?"

The boys began to bombard him with questions as Kai walked over looking the pair over worriedly, "Are you alright? No injuries? Is Kagome alright?" Kai spluttered over her daughter, completely forgetting about the others.

"Yes, yes, we are both fine, she just passed out from stress, I think she is worried they would judge us…I don't know…I'm used to it…but she isn't, I've protected her from it in the Feudal Era…I didn't want her to go thought what I did…I know she loves her family very much and I think that is why she is so worried…" InuYasha explained softly looking down, not being able to meet Kai's eyes.

But Kai had other plans, she reached her hand underneath his chin, forcing his face up so that his eyes met hers. Both were surprised by the emotion swirling within each other's eyes… InuYasha's held regret, fear, compassion, and anxiety, while Kai's expressed worry, awe, and a very strong sense of love. It took a second but Kai spoke, "I know, I know how much you care for her, I know how much you try to protect her, I know how much she can be a pain because she doesn't listen and she doesn't want to let anyone down either…I also know how much she loves you and wishes you would just trust her a little more, she knows more about your past then I do but she is still frustrated how you always seem to be hiding, you don't need to hide…not from everyone that loves you…Kagome, myself, Souta, even Kar….and I'll bet anything that Sango, Miroku, and Shippo love you too…we all do…and you need to open up and realize that…yes there are those that will hurt you…but you wont ever have experienced all the positive emotions if you keep yourself locked away…to know love and be hurt and better than not knowing love at all…just remember that" Kai smiled into InuYasha's eyes, "it's gonna' be alright…just your wait"

Not sure how to respond the hanyou just hung his head, and was "saved" by Souta, " 'nYasha, is Kagome alright?"

Smirking and looking back to the girl held protectively in his arms, "yea, she'll be fine…I actually think she fainted from shock than anything else, she smells fine, she's not exhausted, cut, poisoned…just stressed" he added with a smirk, "and even if she was hurt your sister isn't one to give up easily…I don't think you'll have to worry about her…"

"Yea! My sister isn't afraid of anything!" Souta bragged to no one in particular

'And that is what worries me…' InuYasha thought as Souta hopped away.

"Kai!" a dangerous voice sounded behind her, warning her she had some explaining to do….

"Yes brother" she retorted nonchalantly as if nothing had happened

"What the hell just happened here?" he asked coming out of shock, but Jenny stood next to him still completely stiff.

Letting out a defeated sigh-there was no way out of this one- Kai looked her brother straight in the eyes, "I think we better go back to the house to explain this one.."

"Kai I want to know right now!" he yelled now becoming angry at his sister

"You want to know! Then you will let me explain this to you the best I can and I am still gathering my thought so we are going back!" and with that she summoned her father and they walked off. Too shocked to do anything but respond Robert followed holding Jenny's hand and pulling her along.

This was the first time Kagome realized just how much her mother did for her, yes she gave her food, prayed for her safety when she left, listened to her complaints…but she had to deal with everything ELSE too. Kagome smiled, her mother really the most amazing person she knew…

Kagome stated to go after her mother but InuYasha stopped her, "let then be, you will have your chance to defend yourself later, just take it easy…"

"Huh? Oh, ok…hey! I should be the one worried about you! Are you alright!"

"Feh, I'm fine!"

"Don't you 'feh' me mister! You have some nerve…"

"They sound like a married couple…" whispered Souta to his cousin

Nodding his reply Steven smiled, "my mom said that one time about Jerry and Carla!"

Kagome had gotten away from the hanyou and walked over to the boys picking Steven up "what about Carla and Jerry?"

"Nothing" Souta cut off suspiciously

"Come on, lets get moving…" InuYasha encouraged

"Piggy back! Piggy back!" the boys cried after looking at each other.

"Fine, fine" the pair laughed and hoisted the boys up and began their trek home, to wage a war.

'What do I tell them? The truth…wow that was cliché, oh yea that will go over well, my daughter can travel time thought our old well and her friend is actually a youkai from the Feudal Era!…or not…' Kai sighed, this was not going to be easy…

Kagome and InuYasha were also deep in though about what was going to take place once they arrived at the house. 'Should I tell them…I cant let my mom do this…its my issue'

'This is my fault, if I hadn't then this wouldn't of…but they may not listen too me…they may not even want anything to do with me' the hanyou argued with himself all the way until he reached the front of house.

* * *

Upon reaching the house InuYasha froze, he wouldn't move, his feet were cemented to the ground and his body suddenly felt heavy. All the insecurities that had began to diminish since the day he had met Kagome started to show their ugly head again. He was still a hanyou, a misfit, even more so in Kagome's era…what little confidence he had dwindled away to almost nothing.

But as always Kagome, walked up slipping her hand smoothing into his, a source of light and warmth, confidence and security, she was his stability (this ones for you Jess! ) and at the moment he needed it. he looked down into her eyes and blinked seeing some things he had not expected…but he was not surprised, that was Kagome for you… she eyes told him it was gonna work out, and that she trusted in everyone…he searched her for pity or sorrow, but instead found compassion and understanding, doubt was one thing Kagome had never expressed around him so it didn't surprise him one bit as he saw none of that in the soft pools of mahogany.

Everyone was sitting in the living room when the teens walked in, Souta and Steven had run outside before they could be stopped and were talking excitedly about the battle. Kai was sitting in one of the chairs, and Robert and Jenny sat on the couch watching her closely. Kar was off to the side thinking to himself but paying close attention to his family. As InuYasha walked in, Kagome at his side, all eyes went to the teens.

InuYasha almost froze again but when Kagome crept forward he followed half a step behind her, not willing to leave her alone regardless of his own insecurity.

Kagome sat calmly on the love seat (2 seated couch) motioning for InuYasha to sit beside her but he had gone ridged and stood next to the furniture. Kagome broke the silence, "come on InuYasha, just sit down." She coaxed softly not realizing what she had said.

"Kagome!" the hanyou yelled hitting the floor, startling everyone.

Surprised and sorry Kagome dropped to the floor next to her friend, "are you ok?" she asked concerned. Giving her a flat glare, he grumbled as he picked himself up and sat down on the couch highly embarrassed.

"wh-what was that?"

"god damned spell the old ha-" his mumbling was cut off when Kagome sharply elbowed him in the ribs.

"it is a spell Kaede put on him when I first met InuYasha…but let me start from the beginning…"

although Kagome saw a million questions pop into her relatives minds they kept quiet as she requested and listened for her to continue. Letting out a sigh she began, "on my 15th birthday I fell though an old well that is on the shrine at my house. There I was transported 500 years into the past to Feudal Japan, there is where I met InuYasha."

Her relatives were to interested in the facts of her story to notice her voice soften as she mentioned InuYasha, but her mother wasn't and she smiled, deciding this may not be such a bad thing for to finally tell someone else this story who was not in the middle of it.

Recalling how they first met stung InuYasha'a heart, he had attacked her, almost killed her! What would he have done if that had happened! Smirking he looked at Kagome, more than one life was saved that day.

Laughing Kagome continued, "well InuYasha wasn't too glad to see me when we first met, he was under a spell and when he awoke I reminded him of the miko who placed the spell on him. He wasn't to far off to, come to find out I'm her reincarnation."

Kai and InuYasha noticed her flinch when she said that, 'Kikyo's copy…that is what she thought, feh, she couldn't be farther from it…' well I was actually being pursued by a youkai when I met InuYasha, he had to play the hero and save me," she laughed," but not before the Shikon no Tama was removed from my body. It's this little jewel that can increase the powers of youkai, that was what InuYasha was after and what got him pinned to the tree in the first place, oh yea he was pinned to the god tree outside my shrine with a sacred arrow that placed him into an eternal sleep that I disturbed, well anyway when I freed InuYasha he went after me since I was the new guardian, that is when Kaede put the spell on InuYasha, now all I have to do is say s-i-t and InuYasha does a face-plant."

InuYasha scowled at this, and Kai smiled, Robert looked at his sister's relaxed composure and wondered how she had been so understanding about this, her daughter disappears and comes back later saying, oh I was in the Past running around with a youkai…whatever that is…something is up…

"What is a Youkai?" jenny asks tentatively.

"In English there is really no equivalent, but it is loosely translated to demon…but they are not all bad…as proved with a handful of my friends…" Kagome laughed remembering a handful of times was acting like a curious little kid exploring her backpack full of strange objects, and then Shippo with his childlike innocence. "InuYasha wanted the jewel to become full youkai, since he is only a hanyou, his father was a demon lord and his mo-"suddenly Kagome stopped, giving InuYasha an apologetic look and then continuing as if nothing had happened, he could yell at her later. His brother is a full youkai and has attacked InuYasha numerous times to get InuYasha's sword, the Tetsaiga, but recently he hasn't been, he also now has a little human girl following him around, her name is Rin, she is about Shippo's age, AH!" Kagome suddenly exclaimed startling everyone.

"I haven't told you about all of out friends who are helping us collect the jewel shards, I shattered the Shikon no Tama about 2 years ago, and that is what InuYasha and I have been doing in the feudal era, trying to keep the shards away from Naraku, Naraku is a very bad youkai, but we wont get into that now. We are traveling with Sango, a youkai slayer and her pet cat Kirara, Miroku, a very unique monk, and Shippo a fox youkai. We have all become very good friends but the only once that can come thought the well are InuYasha and I, plus Shippo and InuYasha fight like siblings…" letting out a sigh Kagome realized she had given to much detail and her aunt and uncle just kind of sat there. "But in short InuYasha is a hanyou from the feudal era and I am a miko or priestess. And back home we have been collecting jewel shards to stop a villain, and the reason we were attacked today was because a demon sensed the power of the jewel and wanted it."

Robert was in shock, "so this was what you were whispering about this morning!" yelled Robert in surprise, making InuYasha jump out of his skin.

"Huh?" the hanyou blinked

"This morning when you woke Kagome up!"

"What? I woke her up because I smelt a demon, I was concerned, and I needed to know if she sensed a jewel shard, I didn't think they make it over here but just to be safe."

When InuYasha spoke his eyes became very protective and it was at that moment that Robert began to trust and believe the hanyou. The sheer rawness and intensity of emotion that appeared on his face unconsciously was astounding to him. He had never seen someone show that much on their face without a thought, things had happened to them and little by little he was able to accept it, he didn't know why or how, be he began to believe them, besides it wasn't like his sister to play tricks…

* * *

InuYasha stretched out, his feature now fully exposed, his fangs shown openly as he yawned and his ears swiveled comfortable atop his head, it was almost 1 in the morning and everyone else had supposable turned in, but the hanyou's nose told him otherwise.

Kagome seemed aware of this and nudged him in the ribs from her position beside him, he looked down at her, "what?"

Kagome rolled her eyes, "don't what me…"

"Whatever"

He seemed so distant, "what's wrong?"

He gave her a look though the side of his eyes, and to anyone else it would have been a glare but Kagome knew better… "How can you ask that? Between today and-"

"Ok, so even I didn't expect that…it was little rocky, but come on, that is proof that not everyone is prejudice against you…and now this is you safe-haven, you can always come here, they know you and accept you, like Keade's village, and my family, and all of our friends back home."

'She said it again, Home, and it was referenced to the Feudal Era, I thought that is what she said this morning but I couldn't be sure, but that was obvious, and she didn't even realize it…does she feel more comfortable and accepted there? Does she just like it more? Or…is it something else…?'

Kagome waved her hand in front of InuYasha's face, "Hellooooo, you still alive in there…." When he blinked she laughed, "Welcome back, ya tired?"

Letting loose a small smile he gave a slight nod, "guess so…"

"Good, so am I" she laughed as she crawled into bed

Rolling his eyes he followed after her, as soon as he was under the blankets Kagome curled up to him out of habit and just then did be begin to realize how much the girl next to him had changed his life…for the better.

* * *

"See now isn't that cute…"

All the adults were huddled at the top of the stairs watching the teens, they couldn't hear the words they spoke but the facial expressions the showed spoke louder than any words they could have said. Laughing jenny asked, "Now if InuYasha has youkai senses how are you getting back downstairs?"

"…crap!"

* * *

Lol so how was that? Lol choppy… and I know it took FROEVER! I am soooo sorry about that…finals came up sooo fast and then camp and now planning for camp…oh well, I got it up(finally)…oh and its official I have pneumonia! Lol well it isn't a good thing but I would explain why I had a cough for more than 4 months…anywayz I will try to get chapter 20 up as soon as possible! Thanks again guys! Lol plz review!

Lunar .


	20. The Beach

Ch 20 the beach

Everyone sat silently in the car as it moved down the highway, Robert was driving with Jenny in the passenger seat. Kai was sitting in the second row as well as Kar with Souta Squeezed in between them. And in the back sat Steven who was next to Kagome who was currently rolling her eyes at the hanyou on her other side. InuYasha was still eyeing Steven with a look of complete confusion. It had been a day since Kagome's family had found out they were a little bit away form normal the day before after the fight and had a night to sleep on it. Souta's cousin had been thrilled and was totally as amazed with him as Souta (which Kagome had laughed at) but even Robert and Jenny had accepted it reasonably well (they weren't as accepting as Kai, Rob was still not used to the fact he was housing something that wasn't even human…well all human ) and when questioned, Robert would say he had felt something ever since they arrived and new it was something that would affect everyone, for some reason and Jenny just smiled and said Kagome was destined to do great things since she was born, so she expected something from them, not that they knew how to respond to either they all decided to take it as an OK, and move on with life…and today that was the beach!

* * *

Pulling off the PCH (interstate 1) onto an empty parking lot Robert announces there arrival, greeted by a pair of happily yelling boys who jumped out as fast as they physically could, everyone else filing out in an orderly fashion. 

"Come on you guys, I need help carrying this stuff down" Robert mentions as he gestures to the back of the van, full of beach objects.

"Yea!" squeals Steven as he grabs a bogie board, InuYasha was given both of the surfboards, and Kagome another bogie board, Kai took a gigantic tub of other sand tools: shovels, buckets, castle shaped buckets, shifters, that type of thing, and Robert took the cooler. Jenny went to pay for parking, carrying the umbrella and 2 blankets.

"This way, we have to go down the cliff to get to the beach" Called Robert, pulling the cooler beside him.

The boys scampered quickly behind him and began running down the path, having to be called to slow down, Kai was behind them laughing, dragging Kar so that he would leave Kagome and InuYasha alone.

"I feel like back in the feudal era, when I am always carrying _your _backpack…"

"Hey, I don't _ask_ you to carry it you just do!"

"You get too slow after carrying all that around for awhile'

"Well, I am sorry Mr. I don't ever get tired of hurt…'

InuYasha looked at her for a moment, "feh!"

Kagome laughed, "Yup that's InuYasha!"

"Hey, when we get back tell Shippo he has to stop jumping on you like that, he's getting heavy and he could hurt you…"

"Come on InuYasha, he is just a kid"

"He is not just a kid! He is getting older…he needs to grow up"

"Well if he needs to grown up…then why don't you take him hunting?"

"Because he would get hurt! He has no idea about anything like that, I don't want him hurting himself for no reason…"

"You were hunting by his age"

"I was an orphan by his age…I had to hunt, I had no one"

"Well, he has a right to learn at least, don't you think?"

"Look, I know neither of you will admit it but you are like a father to him, have you seen the way the looks up to you, I know you are too proud to admit it but you think of him that way too…you prove it with the little things, like what you said a minuet ago, you don't want him to get hurt, and the look in your eyes change when you talk about him. He has grown up a lot since we met him, he has had to…and I know he has had it so much better than you but you of all people know what it's like to feel alone…to be unwanted, not let him think that…"

InuYasha just looked at the ground, "Why couldn't he get attached to Miroku?"

Rolling her eyes Kagome let out a soft laugh, "because he relates to you so much more, because you yell at him for doing things wrong, because you protect him, because you love him…Miroku protects him yes but he is more of a friend than anything else"

It was a few moment before either of them spoke, InuYasha thinking and Kagome waiting for him "what about you?"

They where walking onto the sandy beach now, "me, like with Shippo?"

"Yea…you're the one who "adopted" him in the first place…why couldn't he just get attached to you?" his voice wasn't angry but curious

Kagome smiled, "he is a_ boy_…he needs a _father_ to look up to! Yea he comes to me when you beat up on him, but it's totally different to have a dad to look up to…so will you take him?"

"Huh?"

"Hunting, will you take him when we get back?"

"Yea sure…"

Smiling profusely Kagome hugs him (which was very hard with him carrying 2 surfboards and her a bogie board… ), "thank you so much!"

"Kagome! InuYasha, hurry up!" the two looked at each other putting their previous conversation behind them and began running in the loose sand, neither of them aware that jenny was following softly behind them, listening to the whole conversation.

* * *

They all worked together to set up "camp." Jenny laid the blankets down, placing the huge umbrella in front of the blankets and the cooler next to everything else, the boards were put to the side and the sand toys up in front. 

Kai grabbed Souta's arm before he took off, "sunscreen" she said simply and he pouted but took the bottle from her.

Kai also threw a bottle to Kagome who caught it and squeezed the whitish liquid onto her hand. Then handed it to InuYasha, who gave her a look, Kagome laughed, "here you take some in your hand like this and then rub it onto whatever part of you is exposed"

He didn't move so she squirted some onto his hand and then turned back to her hand, putting 3 fingers in the sunscreen and the rubbing it onto her arm, he rolled his eyes but copied her, when they were finished Kagome looked at his face and smiled, he had some white blobs on it, especially on his nose. Moving up close she reached up and whipped it away laughing.

"Hey Kagome, remember how to surf?" called Robert

"I'm a little rusty, but I can still out do you!"

"Wouldn't bet on that!"

"Your on!" picking up a Surfboard she told InuYasha to grab a bogie board and follow her, she had to beat her uncle.

"Wait!" jenny called, "I know you 2…get your wet suits on…no one is catching pneumonia while I am here." She rolled her eyes and grabbed a suit, throwing InuYasha one she threw her legs into it and pulled it over her green bikini. Pushing her arms into it, felling the rubber pull on her skin she smiled, it brought back memories of her family at the beach years ago. The looked over at InuYasha and laughed,

"It's ok, here let me help you, it is supposed to be tight…it keeps you warm…and even if you don't need it my aunt will throw a fit if you don't wear it." she helped him pull it over his red trunks that sported black dragons running over them (not that he hadn't scowled at them at first…a dragon had killed his father after all…) and then zipped up the back without catching his hair.

She then took his hand and led him out to the water. "Yea!" she teenager yelled as she leapt into the waves, that washed over her, sweeping away any worry she had. The ocean always did this to her. She turned to InuYasha and tried to smother a laugh, there he was trying desperately not to let the boggle board float away from him and stay still (yes it is attached to his arm…but that is of little consequence here…obviously )

"Here, you can ride it like this." She commented as she told him as he demonstrated. He nodded and tried it but wasn't very fast, he had no idea how to maneuver around the waves.

Kagome spent about 15 min teaching him how to maneuver the waves and catch and ride a few, then she went over to her uncle, telling InuYasha she would ride with him after there competition.

"GO SIS!" Souta yelled to his sister as she paddled over to her uncle.

Kagome laughed and nodded to her uncle telling him she was ready. After a wave or two a fairly large one started toward them, "might as well start out big, she commented as she began paddling, when she caught the wave she stood up smiling, the wind felt so good and the smell of the ocean was a welcome thing to her nostrils, she turned up the wave and began her way down when she shifted her balance and came down to sharp, "Ah!" she yelped as she fell quickly into the water.

Surfacing she gave her uncle a dead look…"see I told you I'm a bit rusty!" but she was only returned an eye roll and a smirk.

She stuck her tongue out and paddled back over to him, aware of all the eyes on her…especially those of the hanyou. He had almost swum to her aid, but something told him he would just be in the way…he watched as she laughed and considered the situation curiously.

Well Kagome did as she said, she totally out preformed her uncle, the first time she was on a surfboard she outperformed people twice her age with twice the experience, she was a complete natural, but Japan was not big on surfing, so she did not get much practice, but she picked it back up pretty quick, she smiled the whole time, and InuYasha was content to just watch everyone, it looked like fun, Kagome was having fun and for awhile Souta and Steven came out and bogie boarded with him. But true to her promise after she finished with her uncle she came over to teach him. The other board under her arm, she pushed the board at him and he gave the bogie board to Souta who smiled and thanked them and then went to play with Steven.

"So now what?"

"This is what" she replied with a smirk and it was then that InuYasha knew he was in trouble.

Hopping up onto the board Kagome gestured for him to copy her, he glared at her and then attempted to crawl onto the floating board, key word there it attempted…while lifting himself up he leaned on only one side of the board, flipping the board over and dropping himself into the water in one movement.

Watching him Kagome laughed, some things he still messed up at, being hanyou of not…

Surfacing InuYasha scowled, "how the hell am I supposed to get onto that thing?"

Rolling her eyes Kagome showed him where to hold the board so he wouldn't put to much weight on one side, and flip over again. Grumbling the hanyou pulled himself up. And paddled after the already moving Kagome, once they were out pretty far, she turned around then smiled at him, "ok when a big wave comes up face toward shore and paddle as fast as you can, once you catch the wave, slowly stand up. K?"

The hanyou nodded, "ok here comes a wave" Kagome said, turning herself toward shore. "Start paddling"

On cue InuYasha began to paddle toward shore, faster and faster, never feeling himself getting carried by the wave, he then hit shore, looking back confused, only to get splashed by the wave he was supposed to be riding. After he whipped his face he looked to Kagome, who was sitting on her board laughing. "What?" he asked confused as he slowly swam back out to her carrying his board.

"You…you out swam the wave!" she was now laughing so hard tears were seeping out of her eyes.

"Wha-what's wrong?" he asked confused

"Oh it's nothing…it's just you are so funny!" he regarded her with confusion, "here just keep up with me, and stand up when I do, alright?"

he nodded and they tried again, they caught the wave and started to stand up but the hanyou went ridged and fell off, Kagome smiled and turned around to help him, this went on for about an hour until InuYasha could ride to shore with little problem.

It was then that Souta asked to take a turn on the board and InuYasha relinquished his, it was then Kagome asked if he wanted to go tandem with her, giving her a quizzical look she explained.

"It is when two people ride at the same time, you will have to ride in the back since you weigh more than I do, other wise the nose will tip…and we all go swimming."

"Ok…so I'll paddle and"

"I'll stand up first and then you can follow, better not to stand up at the same time"

"Alright, lets try it"

InuYasha started to paddle on one of the larger waves and as soon as it took Kagome stood up, and InuYasha followed abet shaker. All was going well until the wave hit another wave and InuYasha changed balance, Kagome tried to compensate but the hanyou evened out, putting Kagome off balance, causing her to fall into InuYasha knocking them both into the water. Surfacing they both laughed, both clade they took a beach trip for their last day together

* * *

A/N: hey guys sorry sorry! I have been going insane! No really so much has happened, camps especially (I volunteer too much) but oh well oh and have you heard? I'm **running** in the Orange Country Marathon! And I'm doing it to help with Stroke awareness and research, if you would like to help me with my fundraising please take a look at my personal page.(found on my profile page) Yea I am going crazy I also have to read a book for honors English that a test is going to be taken on the second day of school! Grrr oh well thanks guys for waiting! I will try to get another chapter up before school starts! Thanks for all your help! PLEASE REVIEW I need it! oh and the first part of this is a little bit weird…I was kinda out of it! lol thanks guys Promise the next chapter will be longer! (this was so short) 

Lunar :)


	21. On the Road

Chapter 21

The last morning was hectic, the Higurashi's were trying to leave by 5 so everyone was busy trying to pack and stuff everything into the van, coolers had to be filled and breakfast had to be made so everyone had a task. Souta was filling the cooler with drinks and arranging ice on top, Robert and Jenny were making breakfast, InuYasha and Kagome were packing the van, Kai was checking that nothing was forgotten, and Kar was helping Souta. It was 4:35 by the time breakfast was finished being prepared and everyone swarmed to the table for food.

After the food was finished InuYasha carried the cooler outside to the van with Souta and Kagome in tow, Kai volunteered to help clean the kitchen with Jenny, while Kar and Robert went to check on the van, making sure everything was fine with it.

While the 2 women were working on the dished jenny spoke up about something she had been meaning to ask since the day before. "Does Kagome have a son?"

Kai froze, "What? Why would you ask that?"

"Well I heard InuYasha and Kagome talking on their way down to the beach, Shippo I think his name was…"

"Shippo?" Kai laughed, "oh Shippo, he is a kit they ran into not soon after they started their hunt for the jewel shards, he is one of their friends, Kagome is always bringing him back sweets or crayons"

"Just the way she talked about him, and how InuYasha spoke, they both care very deeply for him, almost like he is their son"

Kai smiled, "I always wondered about that, I hear things about this kit, she will come home and post his pictures on the refrigerator, and tell me how proud of him she is for trying to protect this little girl from a demon or that he caught a fish for dinner. She truly does love him and I don't doubt it."

"But it wasn't only Kagome, just the rawness in InuYasha's voice made me think, I mean Kagome asked him to take him hunting and he said that Shippo could get hurt, justthe dame way Robert would tell Steven he didn't want him to go skateboarding because he could fall."

"It wouldn't surprise me if InuYasha thought of him as his son, he puts up this rough front but he really is a softy on the inside, he really does love with all his heart, but he is so afraid of betrayal that he hides, and I think that the more time he spends with Kagome the more he realizes that he is safe, she wont betray him." Kai smiled.

"Well for everyone I hope that is true, from what I have learned, they have so much to lose and so much more to gain."

Before either could speak again a voice called from outside, "Mom! Lets go!"

"Well, that's our que" Kai said walking towards the door.

Jenny smiled and followed, it made her happy to see everyone embracing outside, after a moment she joined them when Souta jumped onto her legs, "bye Aunt Jenny!"

"Bye Souta" the boy detached himself and leapt at his uncle.

Kagome was next to bid her aunt farewell, "take care of them" she whispered as she embraced her niece. Kagome gave her a questioning look but was only answered with a knowing smile.

InuYasha was the last of them to come up and let her hug him, "don't you dare let her go" she told him sternly as she hugged him "don't worry I wont risk losing her again" he told her reassuringly, when he pulled back she looked surprised by his answer but then smiled, "take care of them, they need it"

"I know, and so do I" he informed her he joined everyone in the van

After a chorus of goodbyes the van pulled around the corner, and a sense of calm fell over the family.

"For some reason I think we were talking about the same thing" Jenny mused to herself as she turned and walked into the house with her family.

* * *

Souta yawned since they did not get to sleep until late and then woke up at just before 4, struggling to stay awake now that is stomach was full he leaned over onto InuYasha, who first looked down at him surprised, but then smiled and wrapped his arm around the kid and cradled him against him. 

Kagome noticed this and smiled, he really did put on a tough exterior but he really did care about people, more so than most. Smiling she leaned onto the hanyou too whispering, "thanks" before also falling into a comfortable sleep.

Feeling a strong sense of security and comfort he also felt himself drift off as well, protecting 2 people he cared for like family.

* * *

Suddenly noticing how quiet it was Kai looked up into her rear view mirror to check on the kids in the back, and felt herself smile, there they were, all there of them, curled up together, sleeping. She didn't know why it made her smile so much, maybe it was their relaxed faces or maybe it was seeing her children all together, InuYasha included, she had though of him as a son not soon after Kagome's 15th birthday, and she had tried to get him to call her mom a handful of times but he always stuck to Mrs. Higurashi. All of a sudden she got and idea, "dad" "hmmm" here, take a picture" she told him handing him a camera and nodding to the back. Curious he looked behind him and smiled, snapping a few pictures which roused the hanyou, who lifted his head a little and cracked one of his eyes open to check out the potential threat but seeing Kagome's grandfather he just yawned and let his head fall back and closed his eyes to rest, causing Kar to let out a very InuYasha like smirk.

* * *

"No, no, no! Come on!" Souta groaned when Link died as an attack from a worm looking mini boss depleted the last of his health. 

It was almost time to stop for dinner but they were trying to get as far as they could before it got dark, that meant hopefully to the campground, and if they didn't stop they might make it.

"Mom when are we stopping for food?" Souta grumbled

"We are trying to find the campsite so we want to see how far we can get before it gets dark, so have a snack honey."

"Ahh, ok mom,"

InuYasha moved to help the kid open the tub that held the snack food, "hey, can I get a granola bar?" Kagome asked

"Sure Kag" he responded tossing her one as he lifted his head from the bucket, his hand holding a fruit snack and a granola bar.

"Don't you want anything?" Souta asked the hanyou as he snapped the lid of the tub closed.

"Nah, I'm not that hungry" Kagome dropped her granola bar.

Reaching up she placed the back of her hand on InuYasha's forehead, checking his temperature, "Are you sure you are not running a fever? I have NEVER heard you say you weren't hungry…ever!"

"Keh I'm fine"

"Ya sure?"

"Eat your granola bar" Kagome smiled at him

"Thanks" she whispered leaning back onto him waiting for them to roll into the small town of Moab. InuYasha gave her a look telling her he was confused but she had already closed her eyes and was relaxing, ignoring everything around her.

* * *

"Kagome…Kagome come on we're here" InuYasha nudged the human that was sleeping on his arm, she had fallen asleep about 20 min ago from what InuYasha could tell. "your brother is already outside and picking out the spot were the tent should go, we better go stop him from pricking the spot next to the river" 

"Huh? We're here?"

"Yup, come on…haven't you slept enough today?"

Smiling she teasingly pushed him, then dragged herself out of the van, having to crawl over the food tub that was under Souta's feet and a cooler that was in front of the door. Still drowsy she stumbled on her way out, her foot catching on the step, stumbling she just about ate dirt, but at the last second she fell into a pair of very strong, warm arms.

"If it helps I could always throw you in the river it seems to wake you up relatively well," he told her with a smirk.

"You wouldn't dare" she threatened

"Nope not at all" but just as Kagome relaxed a little InuYasha lifted her up threw her over his shoulder and started walking towards the water.

"Let me go you jerk! You wouldn't dare throw me in that river, I would "s-i-t" you if you weren't holding me you know that" she barked as she struggled in his hold

They were just about to the river when a voice called out "InuYasha put my daughter down and come over here and help me set up camp! You can throw her in the river later!" she told him good-naturedly

"Ah Mrs. H"

"I told you to stop calling me that…"

"Keh"

"Well then, I told you, you could throw her in once camp was broken, the sun is almost down, we need to so this now."

"Alright" and with that the teens set off to help Souta set up the tents.

* * *

"I want a hamburger!" 

"Why do you want a hamburger? We had them last night"

"Because!"

"That isn't an answer!"

Kai laughed as the 3 argued where to go for dinner that night, they really did act like they were family, without even realizing it, they began to act like a family, all the perks and problems included, but then again she never doubted that their friends back in the feudal era acted like a family as well, between Kagome's stories, and the way InuYasha's face melted ever time he talked about them, it became apparent a long time ago how close they all were, but then again they had to be…or they would all be dead by now…probably.

"Pizza!"

"Yea!"

"Uh…"

"Pizza it is then!"

"Hey!"

"Come on I'm hungry" Souta yelled as he finished running down the dirt path the led from their campsite to the small town.

Kar grumbled something about young people and too much energy. Kai smiled but called the kids back a little to wait for everyone to regroup.

"Hmmm this is sooo good!" Souta praised as he swallowed a bite of pizza whole, he was so hungry, it had been over 2 and a half hours since he had had the fruit snack in the van

"Why are you eating a vegetable one?" Kagome asked

"Vegetable!" he choked, gagging on the piece he had just swallowed, "I just grabbed the closest piece!"

Everyone else at the table laughed, even Kar. "Come on you weren't THAT hungry" InuYasha teased ruffling the kid's hair, then took another bite of the garbage pizza he was eating (garbage pizza is known as supreme for all of you who know it as that…I grew up in rural NY…we called it garbage pizza…it had everything!)

"Yea I was!" he responded not wanting to be outdone, InuYasha just smiled.

"So what are we doing tomorrow?" Kagome asked

"We are going to spend the day in Arches, it is just around the bend past this town, it is a beautiful park from what I hear…"

"Wow! Do you think we can get on top of any of them?" Souta asked excited

"I can get you on top of some" the hanyou promised

"Really!" the youth asked

"I promise!"

"He wouldn't have it any other way I know…he likes high places"

"Hey!"

"It's true!

"And?"

"And nothing!"

Everyone laughed…yup, they really were a family…in more ways than one.

* * *

A/N: ok…that took a good 2 weeks…wow, sorry about that, I really didn't know what to do for a little bit…but oh well, lol I know someone who requested a fanart for last chapter but if anyone wants to do an art for any chapter I would be honored, I've almost got my website up and I wouldn't hesitate to put your picture up on there! I could also post it on mediaminer too! Thanks guys! Please, please review, and I may start a second story…don't kill me, I have been doing this story for over a year and a half…yea it has been that long! Lol I promise I will finish it if it is the last thing I do but I need to get another story out of my system…it is totally different! Genre wise and everything…so it shouldn't interfere! Lol I will have next chapter up by the 20th! I promise! Thank you guys sooo much! REVIEW! I need it! (oh by the way I am also fixing all my previous chapters, week by week, so that they don't have as many mistakes, so if you are ever possessed to read this again it should be better ') 

Lunar :)


	22. Black and White

Chapter 21 Black and White

**Yawn** "I'm sleepy" complained Souta, "how much farther is it?" he asked, looking up at his hero.

"Not much farther don't worry" he smiled and then crouched down, "here get on," he told the small boy notioning for him to climb upon his back.

Suddenly full of energy Kagome's brother leapt excitedly at the hanyou landing halfway up his back, hugging the hanyou's neck and snuggling up against him. Souta Yawned and Kagome smiled, "no matter how much you deny it…" she trailed off.

"I know I know," he mumbled back and turned his head toward the sky, "but it is safer that way"

Kagome looked sharply over at him and gave him a curious look, "huh?"

"It just is…for everyone." He whispered, his eyes glazing over and an emotion so intense it broke Kagome's heart swirled beneath the surface of his radiant amber eyes.

He was always hiding so much pain within him, every time Kagome thought that she had settled some of his pain, more would surface. And although the cycle had slowed as of late, she still knew there was something that held extremely heavy on his heart, and every time Kagome would attempt to wipe it away, it would just run and hide until it was nudged of bumped and it would surface again and coat everything with it's thick gray powder.

She didn't know what to do, she couldn't go at it like she normally did, he would just stop her before she started, like even thinking about it would tear him in half. Suddenly tired Kagome let her head fall on her companion's shoulder and walk slowly back to the tent.

Souta was asleep by the time the party padded slowly into the deserted campground, it was late and everyone seemed unusually tired as they had spent the whole day cooped in a vehicle.

Unzipping the tent, InuYasha softly laid the sleeping boy on his bed and covered him in his sleeping bag before turning around to find Kagome gone, surprised he looked outside the tent to find her wrapped in a light blanket and staring longingly at the night sky.

"Kagome?" he asked softly, knocking her out of her revere.

"Huh? Oh" she looked at him with soft eyes and a gentle smile tugged at her lips. He gave her a curious look and her smile widened as she readjusted the blanket draped across her shoulders. "Just watching the stars, they remind me of home, I mean it isn't quite as clear but almost, you can never see them in Tokyo, and they were clouded over at my aunts house too, I was reminded of Sango and Miroku and Shippo…I wonder how they are doing?" she let out a soft laugh, "who am I kidding they are fine."

InuYasha's mind was reeling, "home," she had just called the past, the place she was forced to against her will, the place she is constantly threatened, the place she is farthest from her family, she called it her home. He never understood her, she always threw a curveball at him, everything she said, every time she tried to protect him, every time she soothed Shippo when he was upset, he couldn't explain it, she was like nothing he ever knew, and nothing he would know, she was all Kagome and she had no idea how much she meant to him.

"InuYasha?" he was brought down to earth and looked at her, she smiled and laughed quietly, then walked over to him and reached up and rubbed his ear.

A rush of warmth flowed thought him and a familiar vibration began in his throat, his eyes drooped and he cocked his head to the side, she had that effect on him, she just camped him, made him submissive without even asking for it, and the fact that she was massaging his ear was not helping. He moved his eyes to watch her, she was smiling broadly and her full attention was on his soft silver appendages, then something happed that startled him, he had a strong urge to turn his head and kiss her. He jumped away from the girl as if he had been burned.

'No, no, no! What was that! I don't want to kiss Kagome! Where did that come from!' his breathing was shallow and erratic. Kagome was watching him curiously, almost concerned.

"A-are you ok?" she asked stepping over to him again, he didn't move, slowly she placed a hand on his shoulder.

Startled he looked up at her, his golden eyes wide, fear and confusion fighting within their depths, gathering his bearing his amber orbs calmed and he let out a heavy sigh.

The temptation was gone, he had felt his youkai stir but he suppressed it before it even got a chance to cause some trouble, he was to tired to argue with it at the moment. Without a second thought the hanyou scooped the confused teenager up and leapt into the tree looming over the tent they helped assemble. Before Kagome could question him he pulled her against him and covered her in his protective arms, taking the silent hint Kagome relaxed against his muscular form and allowed her exhausted eyelids to blanket her eyes.

* * *

Blinking the sun out of her eyes Kagome looked up at the silver haired adolescent she was resting on top of. His golden eyes were looking out towards the river the were camped next to, from his distracted demeanor she figured he hadn't realized she was awake yet, deciding to take advantage of that she just laid on his chest mesmerized by his steady heartbeat. Lieing there her mind wandered back to last night, he had acted so strangely, she was rubbing his ears and suddenly he had leapt away from her, almost as if he was afraid of her, and his eyes, he was startled, but then he just grabbed her and jumped up to the tree, she didn't even get a chance to ask him what it was about. Curiosity got the best of her, "InuYasha?"

* * *

The sun had not yet risen, the nocturnal animals were beginning to return to their homes though, didn't know what had woken him but he was sure of one thing, he needed to figure out what was going on with his youkai. 

'What happened last night?'

_What do you mean "what happened?" come on._

'If I knew then why would I ask,' he all but growled

_What are you so upset about?_

'What do you think?'

_I really don't know you have to tell me_ his youkai told him in all honesty

'Why did feel like I wanted to kiss Kagome?'

_Huh? You're confused about THAT?_

'Grrrrr'

_Ok, ok…touché I already told you, she is your mate why wouldn't you want to kiss her?_

'She is not my mate!'

_Would you stop arguing with me on this she is!_

'Where are you getting this from!'

_One, she calms you, she can control you…and me_

'…'

_and you both have an unexplainable need to protect each other, even at the cost of your own lives_

'I protect all my friends!'

_Yes, but your protection of Kagome is completely instinctual...I would know_

'Huh?'

_You don't have a choice in the fact, you just do, you don't have to think, it just comes_

'Whatever'

_And…well you didn't have a choice in the matter…_

'What!'

_Well, I didn't mention this before because I wanted to show you rather than tell you that she is your mate…but you were bonded before you were born_

'What are you talking about? She is from a different time!'

_And she found her way to your time just to be with you!_

'That doesn't make sense!'

_Why not! She had the jewel yes but why didn't she just stay in her time?_

'…I don't know!'

_See-_

'No! She didn't come to the past because of me!'

_Yes she did!_

'Why?'

_She is bonded to you!_

'Wait, I thought you said before I marked her, I bonded us'

_Well you did…in a manner_

'What does that mean?'

_The bond could have been broken…but it wasn't, you…we took to each other…more so than expected_

'More than expected?'

_Usually a bonded pair gets along and later a marking takes place and then a mating_

'We don't even get along!'

_Sure…_

'What is your point?'

_My point is that you marked her almost immediately after you met_

' If that is true why does the wolf try interfering?'

_He is challenging your claim_

'Bastard'

_And he now knows you didn't do it consciously_

'Ho-'

_Do I really need to explain that one?_

'…'

_Now will you admit she is your mate?_

'No!'

_Why not!_

'Because'

_That isn't an answer!_

'Yes it is!'

_Why are you dragging this out!_

'Because…I don't know! I don't know!'

_What don't you know?_

'Everything'

_Wha-_

'To much is unresolved'

_But you_

'So one thing is resolved…'

_You really need to let Kagome know about this…_

'She has no reason to get dragged into this….' His tone filled with with regret

_She has full reason to get involved!_

'No she doesn't! I don't want her getting hurt'

_She is your mate!_

'Would you stop with that!'

_Let her help_

'No'

_You're only hurting her_

'What a-' suddenly a voice cut though his thoughts

"InuYasha?" he looked down at her, the sun was not up and allowing its golden rays to dance upon her skin and her vibrant mahogany eyes.

"Huh?"

"Are you ok?" she repeated

"Yea...I'm fine," he gave her a reassuring smile

"Are you sure? Last night you were…"

He sighed, "Yea, I'm fine"

Giving him a suspicious look they jumped down, "I'm going to take a bath…I'll be back"

Kagome watched his retreating form, "What has gotten into him lately, he is acting so strangely…"

* * *

Ok, I have 2 words to explain myself…HONORS CLASSES! Ok, so all you people who are mad at me I am sorry but I have been kind of stressed, I have had lots of homework, training for the marathon, including the half-marathon last weekend and yesterday I ran 16 miles without stopping, and I have had some music performances….I am going crazy…but yea that is my excusse…deal with it, I will try to have the next one up faster…but school is not letting up and the marathon is getting harder and harder…and club is killing me too…I'm working on t-shirts now and finishing the website…so yea I am kinda distracted but I promise you I will finish this! I will I really will! It just may take awhile and you are gonna have to bear with me…oh and _**dark ninja**_…this is my story I can make up whatever I want to…it makes the story cuter this way…and yea they don't use the same unit of measurement i know...i do know these things...but I have yet to learn to cook with metric yet so I don't know what to tell ya…I write about things I am familiar with…it is just easier this way and it seems so much more real if you are familiar with it…trust me… thanks guys! Again sorry about the long wait! Review! Plz! 

Lunar


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